Power of the Past
by MysticNight9
Summary: UNDER EDIT 10/17/11 A girl wakes up in Lorien,but can't remember where she came from or who exactly she is. She is then raised by Haldir. Years later she joins the Fellowship, but will her secret past and strange power be a help or a dangerous burden.
1. The Impossible

**PLEASE READ! AUTHOR'S NOTE 12/01/2009: **

Hello all! This is a warning to new readers that as of the above date, I have started revisions for this story. I have not updated a chapter in 3 years, but I have found inspiration to begin editing and eventually finishing this fic. It will mostly be just fixing spelling and grammar, but I am changing some plot points as well.

By all means, I would love if you continued reading, but if you find some information or plot points changing as you go along, it's because of this. I just don't want you to get too confused.

With that said, please read on if you wish, and I hope you enjoy!

- MysticNight9

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings. Book references belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, movies references belong to Peter Jackson. Both are brilliant men, so please don't sue!

**WARNING**: This will be an Aragorn romance, so I'm very sorry Arwen lovers! There will also be some OC characters, and by now I've realized you could potentially classify this as a Mary-sue. That wasn't my first intention, but oh well. I came up with this story a long time ago, and I plan to write it as I originally pictured it. Feel free to criticism or stop reading right now if you hate that sort of thing, but this was something I did for fun. I'm extremely lucky if you are the sort of person who can enjoy this type of story, but it's main purpose was for me to just put this idea out in open.

All reviews and criticism are welcome, but if you hate mary-sue's there is no need to bash me for it. I understand it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Thank you for your consideration!

**Chapter 1**

Abigail was walking home from school as usual. Her feet dragged slightly on the sidewalk, not in a particular hurry on way or another. There wasn't really anything to keep her at school, but she didn't really want to go home either. There wasn't exactly anything to look forward to there.

'Maybe I can finish my book, though,' she thought, her lips curving into a small smile.

That wasn't really important either, for it was a book that she had already ready several times over. The young girl thought of the old copy of The Fellowship of the Ring that was sitting on her desk at home. She still got caught up in J.R.R. Tolkein's epic story every time though. In fact, she loved almost any fantasy book she came across. She silently always wished she could go back to those times; times full of heroes and courage; full of adventure and romance.

"I'm sure I'd fit in better there," she mumbled thoughtfully to herself.

Abigail had some friends, and she did truly think they were nice and all but no one she could feel really close to. And don't even get her started on love. Once in a while a boy might catch her eye, but something about them always ended in disappointment. The sixteen- year-old girl knew these were somewhat odd thoughts to have at her age, but nonetheless it was how she felt.

Her pace slowed even more as she finally reached her front steps. Abigail paused, as she listened carefully against the door.

'I wonder if my dear old Dad's home,' she thought with a small sigh.

She turned the doorknob slowly, and when it opened she threw out a cautious, "Hello?" though silence only seemed to greet her.

As the girl went inside she still walked quietly and seemed somewhat wary still. Entering into the front living room, she finally caught sight of her old man fast asleep on the couch. Or perhaps passed out was the better expression, judging by the empty bottle that was rolled off to the side.

She sighed again, though stopped wasting her time being quiet, knowing that virtually no noise would get him out of his "slumber" for a while. Abigail really did try to be patient and understanding…she tried to imagine how difficult it would be if the person she married has just got up and left one day. How long could that really be an excuse though?

Suddenly, the empty beer bottle floated silently off the ground, and flew into her hands. Yes, as if she hadn't deemed herself strange enough, Abigail had also had the power of telekinesis ever since she could remember. She knew there wasn't a reason to use it so wistfully but…she often used it as much as possible. For some reason, a part of her felt like she would need to control it one day.

Dropping her school bag to the ground, Abigail moved to the kitchen and put the bottle away, before continuing to go out the back door. Any thoughts of her homework or even her beloved book went away as she felt the need to get out of the house. Every day it was getting harder and harder to come house and watch a once good man waste his life away.

As she felt the green grass beneath her sneakers, Abigail suddenly made a run for the woods right by her house, enjoying the feeling of fresh air going past her face. She only stopped again when she came across a favorite tree of hers, with plenty of low, strong branches that offered good support. Without wasting a beat she reached up and began to climb of easily. She was slightly taller than most, nearing 5'8", which helped her efforts, though she wasn't in bad shape either. She often came up here to watch the sunset.

Once she was as close to the top as she could get, her head turned back to the direction of her house. He mother had disappeared for ten years now. She thought disappeared, because she had no idea why she was gone and she never sent any word, but she didn't believe she was dead or anything. Something inside her voted against that.

Time passed quickly, even though she was only sitting still, and as the moon started to go up, she leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the forest. But then, a strange sound came. The flapping of hundreds of wings. She opened her eyes to see a huge mass of dark creature coming. She couldn't tell if they were bats or birds, but they were aiming right at her.

Almost instantly scratching and screeching surrounded her. She couldn't see through the clouds of creatures as she tried to get a steady grip on a branch. Soon she lost balance and began to fall. As expected, everything became dark and silent.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_Abigail was stuck in a fog. Dark voices were calling out to her everywhere. One side told her to listen to the enticing voices, but her heart told her to run. Something was evil about them. All she could do was fall was the darkness, and her heart began to give up. She was starting to listen to the evil. She felt her self being pulled under, and a horrible power seemed to flow through her blood. But then a different voice came. A sweet, melodic voice. She turned slowly to face a small light coming through the fog. She started to run towards the light, and she became warmer. Suddenly she broke through…_

_OoOoOoOoOoOoO_

Abigail opened her eyes and rubbed her head. She looked around, and realized in was still nighttime, but the sun was coming up in the distance, offering a small light.

"Dad is going to be so angry," she whispered, not looking forward to explaining why she hadn't come home at all. She finally stood up, and then it hit her.

"This is not my woods," she thought. Instead of the dark, gnarly trees of her back yard, much lighter, straighter, and taller ones suddenly surrounded her.

A snap startled her from behind. The young girl jumped around only to face a…

"Nazgul?" She whispered. It was a rider, clad in black on a black horse. Beyond the books descriptions that she remembered, the rider appeared identical to the ones in the Lord of the Ring movies. But this was no special effect. As it moved she saw outlines of a truly ghostly body, and under its hood she swore no face whatsoever was visible.

"A little far from home, are you not?" it said. It was barely a voice that it spoke with. More like a horrible whisper, ringing through her ears.

"That's…not possible," Abigail said, fear running through her even as she tried to convince herself that she was only dreaming, or suffering from some kind of head trauma. When the Nazgul slowly drew his sword, though, she started to feel more and more uncertain.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

So, what did you think? This is my first story, and I'll try to put up the next chapter has soon as possible. You will get a better description of what Abigail looks like in the next chapter. Hope this isn't too bad of a cliffy. I don't even know if anyone is reading this. Click the pretty review button! Au revoir, for now!

-MysticNight9


	2. A Rare Encounter

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings. All belongs to either J.R.R. Tolkien or Peter Jackson.

From now on_ italics _will usually mean someone is speaking elvish. Occasionally it will mean a flashback or dream, but you will be able to tell by the context, I think.

**Recap:**

"Nazgul?" She whispered. It was a rider, clad in black on a black horse. Beyond the books descriptions that she remembered, the rider appeared identical to the ones in the Lord of the Ring movies. But this was no special effect. As it moved she saw outlines of a truly ghostly body, and under its hood she swore no face whatsoever was visible.

"A little far from home, are you not?" it said. It was barely a voice that it spoke with. More like a horrible whisper, ringing through her ears.

"That's…not possible," Abigail said, fear running through her even as she tried to convince herself that she was only dreaming, or suffering from some kind of head trauma. When the Nazgul slowly drew his sword, though, she started to feel more and more uncertain.

**Chapter 2**

Abby's gaze darted frantically to her surroundings, looking for any sort of weapon or something to protect herself. She even looked to see if there was a person nearby to call for her help, but she could barely see through the thick brush of the trees as it was. As far as she knew she was alone, somehow suddenly facing a nightmarish creature, with an emphasis on the _nightmare_ though. She tried to convince herself that it was impossible to actually have a wraith in front of her. This was more real than any kind of bad dream, though, and the terrified chill that ran down her spine from its presence seemed real enough too.

With its sword still drawn, the Nazgul jumped of the horse, the low clinking of its dark armor pulling Abby away from her thoughts. It walked toward her, almost methodically, but she could have sworn something in the ground even shook with his steps.

"You are too much of a risk," it hissed, with a screeching overtone that made her flinch. "My master thinks you are not ready. You are weak."

She was stunned into silence for a moment, as she countered its movements by stepping back, little by little. Was it actually speaking to her? As if there was any kind of reason that they would be in the same space right now. She only found the courage to speak by momentarily convincing herself that the monster was indeed a hallucination. "Well, I'm sure that would be a good thing, wraith." So what if it wasn't real? That didn't make it any less of an evil creature, and she had no plans to be polite to it. "Your master had a good reason to fear me." Alright, she mentally smacked herself for that one. Why the need to bluff suddenly?

That actually made the wraith halt its slow advance, and it let out some sort of rasp, which she could only assumed was supposed to be a laugh. "Fear you, pitiful girl? A power you might have, but powerful you are not. You do not belong."

Her blue eyes widened with realization. 'Of course, my power!' Abby thought. She focused her mind on the Nazgul. It was difficult to describe the sensation of what it was like to use the telekinesis. In short, usually she could sense the force that surrounded an object with her mind, then push, pull, or just move it by picturing the counter movement. However, suddenly she could only feel this vast emptiness surrounding the wraith. There was nothing to hold on to.

The black rider only shifted slightly. "I can feel you girl, trying to use it on me. It won't work."

Abby was paralyzed yet again, but this time with real fear as the gravity of the situation hit her. Forget the impossibilities of her actually have this ability. She was concerned with the fact that her powers have never not worked before. Instead of assuring her that this meant she was dreaming, the possibility of this being reality strengthened in her mind. And her only defense was gone.

"I am not some life force you can control. Your power has limits, like all others" he finally started walking towards her again. She backed up more quickly and frantically now, half-trying to glance behind her to avoid trees and logs, while also keeping a watchful eye on the wraith. What were the chances she would escape it by running? Perhaps she'd get a head start, but as soon as it got on that horse she would be done for.

Naturally, confusion settled in again, mixed in with the panic. How was the wraith here, or was she not even at her home anymore? More importantly, why was it so hell-bent on killing her of all people? Was this really how she was going to _die_? The black rider raised its sword, and there was more time for questions. Instead, she opened her mouth and screamed as loud as she could. Maybe she couldn't see anybody nearby, but with any luck she wasn't completely alone in these woods.

The Nazgul itself almost seemed a little taken aback by the sounded noise, but then it threw her across the ground, deeming that was the quickest way to silence. Abby groaned, her eyesight darkened for a moment, but remained conscience as she immediately tried to push herself to her feet again.

Its steps were heavy and quick this time though, and it moved effortlessly to her side. "It will be a pleasure to twist my sword into your heart," it seethed.

She immediately sat up, half backed up against the tree as she stared at her attacker with wide-eyes. 'That's it, the sword!' she thought. Perhaps it was right. Her power did only work on things with real matter, but the sword should still fall in the category, even if the wraith did not. The dark blade was quickly plunging towards her chest, and she tried to react just as quickly, throwing her mind against the object in order to stop. The force it was swung with was too great, though, and she only managed to divert its track. Instead of an instant kill to her heart, she pushed the sword down so that it sliced her side.

She let out another piercing scream. Pain instantly clouded her senses as she gasped, trying to take steady breath.

The rider gave another his, and went to strike again, a small, swift breeze went past its cloak, and with a dull "thunk" there was an arrow suddenly imbedded in the tree. It turned around, and saw three more coming. All three ripped through its cloak and into its core. The Nazgul let out a cursed cry of its own. Its hooded gaze looked back at its victim, blood steadily soaking her side. Satisfied with the job, it leaped back on the black horse, and rode off.

Moment Earlier, in the same wood

Haldir, Captain of the Lady's guard, was taking a long watch on the Far East borders. In fact, these days, all of the blond elf's watches were becoming long. It had been centuries since there had last been a real attack on his beloved woods, but he, along with many other older elves, were not ignorant to the dark feeling that seemed to be blowing in from the east. The captain was not along this time, though. Arphenon, a loyal soldier and even better friend, had ridden the hours with him. Indeed, dawn was already peering through the trees of Lothlorien.

"_Haldir, how much farther must we go?" _Arphenon asked, reining his horse to a stop a few feet behind on the trail._ "While my lady is surely already displease with my absence, but I might be forgiven some if I make it back before she wakes." _Arphenon truly did not mean to complain, but his wife really had almost killed him last time he was this late for several shifts in a row.

"_Not too much longer, my friend, I promise. If needed, I will explain to Merilien_," Haldir replied, his pale grey eyes glancing back over his shoulder.

"_I am not sure if you understand the dangers or such a promise,"_ Arphenon chuckled.

The corners of Haldir's lips curved into a small smile. Merilien did indeed have a unique temper that was not often seen in female elves. Before he had a chance to reply though, a loud scream made them freeze instantly. Both elves looked around cautiously.

"_Keep moving,"_ Haldir said. "_Maybe it was only a bird, or another wild animal_."

The riders nudged their horses forward slowly, both obviously on high alert still as their keen gazes scanned the woods. Moments later, they heard another scream, but one that almost pierced Haldir's heart more than his ears; a dreadful sound that he had not heard in many, many years. While the young captain did not want to believe it was possible, there was still no mistaking it.

"_Nazgul! Hurry, this way!"_ Haldir sped off in a gallop, his senses already narrowing down where the source of the sound was. Arphenon followed closely behind him.

Soon after, they heard one more scream, one that was most definitely a female this time. They were close.

"_Draw you bow_," Haldir shouted, though his fellow soldier hardly needed to be told even once.

They came to a small clearing in the trees, and about 100 feet away was a Nazgul, looming over a limp figure. Even on horseback, the two elves steadily readied their bows. Haldir shot one past the creature on purpose, forcing it to turn around. Then he shot one more while Arphenon shot two. The monster quickly fled the scene before they got much closer.

Haldir sprinted ahead of his companion, leaping of the horse before it came to a stop. The figure on the ground was indeed a young girl, no doubt the one they heard moments ago. As he got a close look at her though, surprise instantly flickered across his features. _"She is hardly more than a child,"_ he said.

Arphenon pulled his horse to a stop, though his gaze was still looking out into the woods. "_Should I follow the wraith?"_ Arphenon asked.

Haldir looked down to the side of the girl, immediately noticing the black outline that already traced the wounds. For whatever reason, she had been stabbed with the Wraith's blade. All this created a disturbing picture. He hated that such a foul thing has made its way even this close to their territory without being seen, but the medical needs were more pressing. "_No, it will be out of the woods shortly, and they will be no catching it once it reaches more open plain_." Haldir moved to pick up the girl, and she groaned lightly.

He was surprised she was still awake. Quickly, Haldir tried to talk to her.

"_What is your name?"_

She made no reply. Perhaps she was not strong enough to fully speak, though as her dark hair fell away from her ears, he quickly noted their round appearance.

'A lone human, all they way out here?' he asked himself. Besides from being disturbing, this picture was starting to make little to no sense. Haldir tried again, in the common speech.

"What is you name child?"

The girl opened her eyes a little bit, and while she seemed even more confused that he was, she managed to speak one word.

"Abigail."

With that, she went limp in his arms and was completely unconscious.

Haldir took the girl with him on his horse, lifting as gently as possibly to not disturb her would even more. Once settled, he finally turned to Arphenon.

_"Ride ahead if you can, I may have to go more carefully as to not further her injury. Warn the healers, and find the Lord and Lady. They must know about a Nazgul straying this far immediately,"_ he added, his jaw clenching with both anger and shame. It was his duty to make sure things like this did not happen.

Arphenon nodded, and left, with Haldir following behind in a gentle gallop, he looked more closely at the girl.

While most definitely belonging to the race of men, even for her young age she had some fairer features; she was somewhat tale and had paler skin, save for the few freckles across her face. Her eyes, when they were open, had been very dark…perhaps gray-blue in color. The thing that was most odd was her hair. It was a dark auburn, which wasn't unnatural, but her hair barely reached her shoulders. To have such short hair at her age…was it some kind of symbol of disgrace? Maybe that's why she was here alone. And her clothes! They were definitely not woman's clothes, but not like any men's clothes he had ever seen.

He glanced at her wound. It was getting worse, and her breathing was shallow. These signs were only confirming his fear; she had indeed been stabbed by the nazgul's sword.

'But why?' he thought, was the most troublesome question to all these events.

'What are you doing here, Abigail?'

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Man, it takes a long time just to write a few pages. Please keep reviewing; I love to hear what you say.

Thanks to:

Mirokh and Airokh: Yeah, I know it's kind of random how I stuck her powers in her. But for this chapter, I decided she needed to know how to use them.

Grania and Morgan and the Ginger Cat: I am very afraid of becoming to Mary-Sue, because I do want my readers to like it. But I've had this story in my head so long it's hard to find a good way to change it. I'll try my best, though!

I'm off to actually do my homework, but I'll try to update soon! Thanks for reading!

-MysticNight9


	3. Explanations and Memory Loss

As Haldir rode through the entrance of the city, doing his best to gently keep the girl steady in-between his arms, he was relieved to see a group of healers waiting for him. Though they luckily had been within minutes of the main woods, he knew how fast a wraith's poison could spread. He had occasionally felt the human shiver or gasp quietly, but she still seemed completely unaware.

He pulled his horse into a quick but secure stop, and a healer was by his side instantly. "Quick, quick, let me see her," one of them ordered, checking her pulse and breathing, almost as soon as she was out of his saddle.

In only seconds the healer creased his forehead, anxiousness written in his expression with only a glance at her actual wounds. "Yes, there are clear signs of this being a Nazgûl's mark…" he spoke, almost half to himself.

Haldir, who just dismounted himself, did his best to hide his slight annoyance, for the statement seemed all too obvious at this point.

Another healer off a little off to the side, did not miss his silent thought, though, and gave a small smile to the peeved captain. "But you got her here it time, Captain. True she is young, but this also means her health should be strong. She has a fair chance of living now that she is in our care," she assured with a gentle nod.

Without another word, they began carrying Abigail towards the housed of healing. He made a step forward to follow them, a part of him feeling it was his duty to help see this through, but one last healer who had stayed behind stopped him.

"The Lady would like to see you," he explained briefly.

Haldir immediately paused, and embarrassment briefly washed over him. Of course he needed to go see Lady Galadriel. He was captain of the guard, and he had allowed a black rider to slip deep into their territory. He could only leave the child in the healer's hands now, and concentrate on how this mess happened in the first place. "Thank you, I will see to my Lady immediately. "

They both gave a slight nod to each other and left.

Haldir made a fast walk to the great hall, several thoughts and ever more questions running through his mind. He approached the pale tree, probably one of the grandest on the forest, and began to take the long flight of stairs to the top. At this pace, it did not take long to reach his destination. He pushed open the massive white oak doors, and was greeted by the flash of light that was the sun coming through the very top branches of the tree, though it almost always felt like the radiance could be coming from Lady Galadriel. When the room became dim again thanks to his eyes adjusting, Haldir noticed that Lord Celeborn was also in the room. "My lord, my lady," he said, giving a low bow.

"Captain Haldir, we were told you found…something most interesting of the far borders?" Celeborn asked carefully, one eyebrow rising ever so slightly.

"Yes my lord," he replied, head still tilted down slightly.

"What happened exactly?" Celeborn continued.

Haldir barely dared to take quick glance at Galadriel as his raised his eyes, and focused mostly on Celeborn.

"Arphenon and I were taking the east guard, when we heard a cry for help. We were momentarily confused, as it was rare that any of our kind would walk out that far, until we heard the cry of a Nazgul."

He paused momentarily for reassurance.

The lord nodded. "Yes we were told about the wraith by Arphenon, please continue."

"Yes, my lord. When we were in sight range, we saw the Nazgûl hovering over a girl. We both took aim, and three arrows hit the creature, but that is not enough to stop it, of course. It went on its steed horse, and rode off."

Galadriel finally spoke.

"Why did you not pursue?" she asked, her calm tone giving no hint as to how she might have felt

This was a question Haldir had been dreading. He hung his head slightly.

"Noticing the critical condition of the child, I took her into priority. And a sent Arphenon ahead to warn you and the healers, since I knew I would be forced to ride more carefully if I took her." The captain gave the barest of sighs. "I take full responsibility on myself if you think that was an unwise choice but…I did not wish to risk her life, knowing it was unlikely Arphenon or I could pursue, much less capture, the wraith alone."

He looked up, expecting to see disappointment on her face, but instead, all she had was a small smile.

Galadriel gave a small look to her husband, and they both seemed in silent agreement instantaneously. Her eyes shifted to Haldir once more. "That is all the explanation I require for now, Haldir. Thank you for your promptness."

"Your are most welcome, my lady," he replied, feeling a sense of relief that he had not seemed to damage his or Arphenon's integrity.

"Eat now and rest, Captain," Celeborn said. "But will you be fit to take small night watch, by the north end? We are in need of more eyes to the east now," he continued, his tone more serious.

"Of course my Lord. I will be there tonight." With another low bow, he left the room. Outside, he found Arphenon waiting.

"So?"

"Rest easy, my friend. There will be no wrath from the Lord or Lady today," Haldir said with a slight smirk.

"Well…who's to say I was possible worried about that?" he replied with a small grin, but Haldir didn't miss his partner's small sigh of relief. "And the child?" he asked.

"The healers said she would likely make a good recovery. There was not too much time for the poison to take effect," he said. "But…maybe I will check myself," Haldir continued, his tone slightly more quiet, as if he was thinking to himself. It passed a moment later, and he gave his friend another small smile and a clap on the shoulder, before disappearing down the staircase

When he was gone, Arphenon had stood in thought for a moment longer, partially still stunned about the events that had unfolded this morning. "Who knew the great captain Haldir would have a soft spot for a mortal girl?" was the last thing he muttered, before turning to walk away as well.

OoOoOoOo

Later, in the Houses of Healing

Abigail slowly opened her eyes, the sun shining through the small, arched window being an unfamiliar sight. She tried to take in her surroundings, but immediately all that hit he was confusion. She was in a small room but…it really more reminded her of a tree house. She could see the wooden railing through the door that was on eye level with a forest canopy. The sort of white nightgown she was wearing and the bed was comfortable, but...something about all of this wasn't right. Was it wrong for her to feel comfort? No, what sense was there in that.

She thought hard for a moment, then it sort her all at once what was wrong. It was everything. Everything was unfamiliar. Everything was foreign. She could name what things were, but at the same time it was like she was blank. She didn't feel a connection to anything. She…she couldn't even say for sure who she was. Her head quickly started to spin, but she forced herself to sit up, wanting to get a better look at things.

She glanced down at herself. 'Well, I know I'm a girl", she thought, resisting to urge to snort. That was hardly the most important discovery of the day to make. Suddenly, a pretty woman, with a tray came in, and she couldn't stop the brief flinch of fear, despite the newcomer's kind face.

"Why look, the little miss is finally awake today to drink her tea."

Tea! That was the steaming liquid. No wait. There was no reason something as simple as _tea_ should be unfamiliar. What the hell was going on here? She still eyed the woman a bit warily, but in a second she found her voice. "What do you mean, finally awake?" she asked, her throat dry, though her speech clear enough.

"I have been coming in here for four straight days hoping to finally get you to eat, and each day I have been unfortunate to find you still sleeping," she said in a cheery accent, placing a hand on her slender hip.

Four days? What happened to make her sleep for four days? Actually the better question was what happened to make her lose her recognition of anything? She twisted her body, making a move to get out of bed, and then gasped at the sharp pain in her side.

The woman's jaw dropped, and she quickly to move to the side of the bed, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "No, my child! You should not move, you are not yet fully healed! You should still be praising the Valar that you are still alive," she reprimanded, though there was something affectionate in her tone still.

She nearly wanted to argue that she did not exactly _feel_like a child, though she could guess it would make no difference in the eyes of this…nurse? Was that the right term? "What…happened?" she finally asked out loud

The lady stopped, a strange look crossing her face that did not give the young patient any comfort. "You do not remember?" she clarified

Abigail simply shook her head.

"Oh dear…alas, I am not so sure of the details myself, for I did not treat you when you first came here," she explained apologetically. "Maybe I can sir Haldir, he was the one who brought you. Rumor says he has actually been in here a few times checking up on you. Rare for him to show such concern."

Abigail had no idea who she was talking about, but if he knew something, she felt she needed to talk to him. "A-alright. Only of you can find him though. I don't want to bother anyone."

The woman smiled kindly. "It is not a bother child. If you truly cannot recall what happened, you deserve some answers." And with that, she walked quietly out of the room, leaving the tray on the table beside her, though not before handing her a cup of the tea first.

She was silent, blowing along the rim of the mug to cool of her drink. 'At least I think I don't want to be a bother. Am the kind of person who doesn't like to be a bother?' More confusing thoughts were going through her head. Why could she know so little? Why so many blanks? She felt the wound on her stomach all too clearly now, though why would that effect memory? She contemplated this, while she sipped her tea.

'Hmmm, well I know I like tea,' she mused quietly. It wasn't much, though it seemed like a start.

She was not sure how much time passed when she heard someone approach, and set the tea down. A tall man walked in, with long blonde hair. For some reason, she felt it was strange to see a man with such beautiful and clean hair but at the same time, it suited him. She observed him only briefly before looking away slightly, suddenly feeling nervous.

The man's expression was somewhat blank, though there definitely seemed to be kindness in his eyes. "Good morning lady Abigail. I am relieved to see you finally awake," he spoke first. His stance was somewhat formal, and he had yet to move away from the doorframe. "My name is Haldir."

Recognizes the name, she was prepared to thank him, but then almost immediately another question popper into her head. "I'm sorry but who is Abigail?"

The man paused, and eyed her closely. For a moment it was as if he expected her to speak again, but instead she was the one who looked on expectedly. "That is your name. At least, it was the one you told me. Are you saying...you are not Abigail?"

She shook her head, anxiously weaving her fingers together and apart. "I'm sorry sir, everything is very blurry, and I can't seem to remember…much of anything." It was her turn to pause, as stared blankly ahead for a moment.

"Abigail," she whispered. "Yes, that...feels like it could be true, somehow. But lady Abigail doesn't sound right. I certainly don't feel like a lady."

She grabbed her side again, feeling another pain coming on as she accidentally shifted her torso again.

"Are you all right?" he asked, slight panic coming to his voice as he finally took a step closer into the room.

She pursed her lips. "Yes…well no actually. Why am I in pain at all?" she asked, looking up at him again.

Haldir sighed lightly, and took a seat that was across the room. "You were stabbed by a Nazgûl," as if that explanation meant something

"Nazgûl?"

"Yes, wraiths," he repeated

She still looked blank.

"Black riders?" he tried again, apparently still hoping one of these names would be familiar to her

Nothing.

He leaned back slowly, a sympathetic look on his features. It made her slightly uncomfortable, only in the fact that she didn't really want to feel pitied…then again, most would probably pity her situation. "I see," he commented thoughtfully. "To give you the simple explanation…there is a sort of poison in there swords. If not treated, you will turn into one of them."

"And that's bad?" she prompted

"Yes. Very," he replied. "Fortunately for you, elves are very skilled in treating this poison. You will always feel that pain, though, especially when they are near or on you presence," he added, looking sorry once more.

She nodded, though she couldn't quite say that she fully understood. "Fine, that explains…this," she said, looking down to the bandages at her side. "But why my memories?"

She didn't feel very comforted again, as this time he looked more puzzled and concerned than she did. "I must confess, I cannot explain it," he said slowly. "I am no master Healer but…there is no one place saying how their poison could hurt you. Indeed, with enough time, you become one of them. But before then, perhaps your mind is once place that can be harmed," he paused for a moment, before attempting to look reassuring. "I would try not to panic, young one. This could only be a temporary outcome."

Abigail tried to review all that he had said. Most made at least some semblance of logic (as least as much as she was going to get in her state), except for one thing.

"What are elves?"

He seemed surprised at the question. Perhaps because he expected that to still be within her knowledge, or simply because that wasn't the one he expected her to voice out of the many she could have asked. "One of the peoples of Middle Earth."

She tilted her head. "Peoples? As in race? You…look fairly human too me."

He smiled lightly. "I supposed to some we have similar characteristics. Though there is one key difference you can always look for," he said, pulling back his long hair momentarily to reveal a tipped ear.

Abigail's hand flew up to her own ears immediately.

Haldir gave a very small chuckle for the first time at her inquisitive expression. "No, my lady, you are not and elf. You are a regular human. You physical traits are typical of those who hail from some city in Eriador. I admit Gondor is a possibility, but that is much too far away."

Abigail gave another blank look, and she was really starting to tire of only offering one expression.

"I am naming kingdoms of Middle Earth," he said off-handedly.

"I'm sorry, I just don't know." Sadness was quickly creeping into her voice. It felt somewhat childish considering her age but was bad enough to feel physically weak, and then to feel like she was a complete idiot on top of that was all too much

This was something Haldir wasn't prepared for. As sympathetic as he could me, like most men he was somewhat at a loss when he saw a young woman cry.

"You are being entirely truthful…you can not remember anything," he stated, his tone much quieter now. He had to admit for a moment, he thought maybe she was just trying to hide something out of dear or shame, but her look and her tone…there was no mistaking that she felt sincere confusion and perhaps even despair at her situation

Abigail could only manage to shake her head in reply.

He almost didn't want to ask.

"What about a family or a home?"

"I have nothing and no one," she said in a tiny voice.

Haldir got up from his chair, at an almost alarming speed. "Forgive me, but I need to discuss this with my Lady. This will…complicated matters somewhat," he said, almost muttering that last part. "However, she has great wisdom, sometimes in mysterious ways. Perhaps she knows something already." He gave a sigh, doing his best to keep his expression neutral to not alarm her any further. "Sleep now, and I will return."

Abigail gave another small nod. The blonde elf gave her the barest of smiles, but she had to admit, it was nice to feel like her did care. At least enough that he was willingly to come talk to her, and then try to get her more answers. She realized she never actually thanked him for saving her life, but when she looked again he was already gone.

OoOoOoOo

As Haldir raced down stairs and through paths of Lorien, he was thinking deeply about the conversation that just transpired.

'We could just give her to one of the closest villages. But she knows nothing about the world of men, even, and she will need some special care for that wound, especially if anything happens in the future.'

He slowed his pace. He realized slowly that he was getting more worked up about this situation that even some of the problem he faced with the guard. There was no denying that he could escape a sense of responsibility to Abigail since he was the one who found her but still…something about her endeared him more than he would probably liked to admit. Even with only having one proper conversation with her.

He was quickly pulled away from his musing, when he spotted one of the noble advisors. "_Excuse __me, __have __you __seen __Lady __Galadriel?" _he spoke in rapid elvish, stopping the man politely.

"_Yes, __I __believe __she __wanted __to __tend __to __her __private __garden. __Even __possibly __consult __with __the __mirror,_" the man replied.

"_Thank __you,"_he said with a sharp nod, before picking up his pace again.

'This is good timing.' Haldir thought. 'Perhaps the Lady of the Wood will find some insight to this strange tale.'

OoOoOoOo

Back in her room, Abigail was trying hard to stop the tears that eventually started spilling out. She didn't want anyone to hear, and perhaps have to explain her story all over again. She tried to muffle the sobs with the pillow.

'I can't do this,' she thought. 'I can't just stay in a bed in a place I know nothing about.' She sat up, and the pain was less this time. She had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't just spiced herbs that was put in her tea. She walked up to the dresser, her steps somewhat off balance, and tried to find some clothes beside the nightgown she was wearing.

"If it truly feels so wrong to be here, maybe somewhere else would be better."

OoOoOoOoOo

Okay, so the chapters aren't very adventurous right now, but I think this explanation are kind of important. Though if you read the summary, you pretty much know what is going to happen next.

It might be awhile for the next chapter, I need to figure out how much time, if any, am I going to spend on her growing up in Lorien. I might pretty much skip to the fellowship. I could make a sub-story on her life later perhaps. Anyway, I'll stop talking and let you click the pretty review button! L8r!

-MN9


	4. To Accept An Understanding

Disclaimer: I shall say it again: I don't own any part of the Lord of the Rings. This is just my creativity speaking. Please don't sue!

I know it's weird to write 3 chapters in one day. It doesn't leave time for your thoughts. But it's hard to stop when you need to let it out. I hope you can still enjoy it! Yes, it's another explaining chapter, but it still has a purpose!

OoOoOoOo

Chapter 3 Recap:

'I can't do this,' she thought. 'I can't just stay in a bed in a place I know nothing about.' She sat up, and the pain was less this time. She had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't just spiced herbs that was put in her tea. She walked up to the dresser, her steps somewhat off balance, and tried to find some clothes beside the nightgown she was wearing.

"If it truly feels so wrong to be here, maybe somewhere else would be better."

OoOoOoOo

Abigail took some time searching through the small dresser, but with so many layers and options, it was hard for her to decide what was entirely for men and what was for women. She pulled out a few dresses, but if she was seriously planning on going away, that didn't seem very practical. In the end, the best she found was a cream colored top, and brown leggings. Honestly, she couldn't really tell if the top was a long shirt, or a short dress. It reached about her knees, but she figured it would work. She also found a spare belt in the last drawer, helping to fit the loose shirt to her body.

With a short paused, she glanced down at her bare feet. 'Where would one keep shoes in here…' she thought, before her eye landed on the thin closet in the other corner. In moments, she found a pair of what seemed to be flexible but sturdy flats. They pinched her toes slightly, but with any luck they would stretch.

She meant to only glance in the mirror, but she soon paused fully again once she spotted her reflection in the mirror. She looked fairly ridiculous. Then again, everything was ridiculous right now. She was stealing clothes, because she had no memories of this strange place, and had left herself with the option of running away…and her hair was a complete mess of tangles.

She quickly grasped the brush that was on her nightstand. 'The clothes are better then a nightgown at least,' was all she thought, running the bristles through her hair a few times.

Feeling as ready as she was ever going to be, she moved quietly towards the door. A small voice in the back of her head was telling her maybe this was a bad idea. After all, these "elves" didn't seem like bad people in any way, and what was she really going to do on her own? Even if she conceded to the fact she was thinking straight, though, it made no true difference. She was confused, wary, and quite frankly scared. If she didn't feel comfortable here, there was still a chance she would feel better someone else. Determined to follow through with her will, she cautiously stuck her head out the door, and then jumped backed in.

"I'm in a tree," she whispered. Admittedly, Abigail had come to that conclusion when she first looked out the window, but she hadn't realized just how high up she was still. Surprisingly, her nerves didn't feel any worse with this fact though. "I supposed I like trees," she muttered to herself. Poking her head out again, she scanned the area quickly, noting that very few people, or rather elves, where around this section of bridges. With a glance more towards the ground, though, she noticed some unguarded horses. Maybe she could take one.

'No,' she shook her head, almost as quickly as the thought came. Taking some left behind clothes in a room was one thing, stealing something like a horse was just plain criminal. Especially since they hadn't done anything against her. At least nothing she could remember. That was maybe the idea that was actually scaring her. The nurse from earlier, and Haldir, had seemed very kind and sincere. Without any memory to support what they said, though, it was impossible to say who she could trust here.

She walked around for about 5 minutes, avoiding elves the best she could. She made sure her ears were always hidden as a precaution, though if anyone had really noticed her, she was certain it was obvious she didn't belong. Another five minutes of winding around stairs and bridges and she was hopelessly lost, even after she had made it to the ground.

Abigail quickly came to terms that her rebellion was going to be short lived. 'This is insane. There is no way I would survive in the wild,' she thought, embarrassment flushing her cheeks. She was weak on so many levels right now. Was this how pathetic she normally was? She sincerely hoped now. To add to her shame, her stomached growled quietly a moment later. 'And I'm already hungry.' She wasn't sure if she wanted to scream, or punch something or laugh or maybe do all three.

Perhaps trusting her new caretakers was the only choice she was left with after all. With a heavy sigh, the young girl turned around and tried the find the general direction she came from.

'I think if I cut through this way…' she began, pushing her way through a hedge, and then froze instantly. To her astonishment, she had walked into one of the most beautiful gardens she had ever seen. Or at least, she assumed it would have been. There was a somewhat clear path drawn through a variety of flowers and rock formations, but in some places the path took your gaze up a hill or around a tree. Even on the warm day, a thinly veiled mist settle in certain patches, and somewhere she could her water running, smoothly and quietly. Abigail didn't dare breath, for she feared it would crumble whatever perfect trance had fallen over this place. It was so quiet, and it made her feel more like at outsider than before. But still, there was something so welcoming; so peaceful. She walked as gently as possible towards a small stone bench before sitting down.

"Wow," was all she could say, her voice somewhat unintentionally coming out in a whisper

She watched as a small pale butterfly landed on what looked to her like a yellow rose, carefully avoiding the thorns of the stem. Any other time she might have thought it cliché, but in this garden it just didn't matter. For the briefest moment everything appeared to slow down, and for the first time today she felt tranquil. As soon as it came it passed. Time sped up, and she had the sudden sensation that she was around. Abigail turned around, only to face another surprise. It was an older woman, who had an instinctively graceful and noble air about her. She had long, golden hair that curled slightly, and was wearing a flowing white dress. For a minute, Abigail lost her voice all over again, before suddenly bursting out,

"Are you…glowing?" The tranquility from before was quickly replaced with more embarrassment. It was an extremely childish question but she still couldn't help but ask it.

Thankfully, instead of confused or even offended by her words, she was merely amused and the golden woman gave a small musical laugh. "No child, it is only the sun, still clinging to the morning dew of the flowers. It helps with my illusion of grandeur perhaps, but an illusion all the same," she replied, the faintest teasing quality to her tone.

Abigail paused for a moment, lost in thought. Somehow, she could have sworn she heard that voice before. Like a distant memory, though still unlikely since she had lost all of them

"Who, are you?" she said, finding a more sensible question this time.

The elf turned away, to pick up a broken flower that had fallen to the ground. She pinched it carefully between her fingers. "I am Lady Galadriel," she said simply, though the warmth form before was not gone.

Abigail quietly studied her, before reaching a conclusion. "You are…THE Lady, aren't you? The one Haldir mentioned"

Galadriel just nodded, and Abigail did her best not to drop her jaw. She clenched the side of her tunic nervously, feeling the heat rise on her face. "I am so sorry, I did not mean to intrude. I was lost, you see…"

Galadriel stopped in gently with only a graceful flick of the wrist. "No need to explain, dear one. I know everything."

Abigail was inclined to believe that, while she spoke casually, she could have easily meant that last part quiet literally. "You do?" she spoke up again.

"Yes." She gave another chuckle. "And I am almost sad to have stopped you, for I would have been quite curious to see what others thought of that unique outfit."

Abigail blushed again, shifting her left slightly.. "I really didn't know."

Galadriel suddenly took a few long strides towards her, the flow of her movements easily compared to that of a dancer. She placed her hand carefully under her chin. For a moment she thought she might flinch at the touch, but instead she found the gesture more comforting than anything.

"Let me have a good look at you, young Abigail," Galadriel said warmly, a small smile on her face.

"How did you…" she began to ask, knowing she had never personally told the lady her name.

A golden eyebrow quirked slightly. "I told you. I know everything."

OoOoOoOo

Meanwhile, a certain elf captain was still searching for his queen. Haldir had found himself already delayed a few times but members of the guard who had various questions about patrols or events coming up. It was not in his nature to ignore them, so he had answered as swiftly as possible, though his anxious thoughts about his conversation with Abigail had not subsided.

Even when he had reached the area the lady was last seen, he did not seem to be having much luck. 'I fear her garden expands more quickly than I have time to learn the route' he thought to himself. He was able stopped walking minutes later, though, when her heard voices. One was Galadriel's, of that he was certain, and the other one was…Abigail?

'Why is she out of her room?' was the first question that flashed through his mind. 'And how did she get here?' was the one that quickly followed.

However, a part of Haldir that any conversation with Galadriel was one worth finished. If they were talking, he had no desire to interrupt, as long as they were both well. For now, he just waited patiently and listened.

OoOoOoOo

"Why did you attempt to leave?" Galadriel asked, at this point sitting on the stone bench where Abigail had been before. Amazingly, her tall stature only put her gaze only slightly lower that Abigail's, even when not standing.

The young girl in question had visible relaxed her stance, though bit her lip slightly, trying to find the best and most polite way to answer. "It felt strange."

"You felt un-welcomed?" she prodded gently, her pale eyes observing her with interest.

"No!" she protested quickly. "The elves I spoke to were very kind to me, and I'm very grateful that you healed me but…I just felt out of place," she trailed off more quietly. "It's already clear that me being here doesn't really make sense. And even with your kindness, it's hard to truly trust anybody Nothing was familiar," she explained, almost apologetically. Face to face with the lady of this land, the last she wanted to do was sound ungrateful, but she knew the truth was needed as well.

"But you have nowhere to go?" the elven queen clarified once more.

"No," Abigail replied, her shoulder slouching dejectedly. "I hardly have an idea where I am now."

Silently the lady stood, placing a reassuring hang on the young girl's shoulder. "Do you have an opinion, Captain Haldir?" Galadriel called out, the question mostly serious, though there was a bit of mirth in her face.

OoOoOoOo

Haldir automatically gave a bow of his head and sighed silently, stepping out from around the corner. There was no sense in trying to hide, though he felt reassured that the lady knew part of his intentions already as she waited for him to speak.

"If I may, my lady, she cannot just go back to the race of men. She now has no knowledge of customs, traditions or anything. She is not prepared," he began simply. "And if I may speak plainly as well, while I do not think ill on all mortals, she could very easily be…taken advantage of in this situation," he added, his pale grey eyes matching Galadriel's gaze briefly, hoping to convey his message delicately.

Galadriel nodded. "It may be a more unlikely than likely fear, but it is something to be noted all the same," she agreed, with a thoughtful frown. "What would you suggest?" she asked, the question directed at him though her gaze fell on Abigail.

It didn't take long for his eyes to land on her as well. Haldir could barely even say he was a true acquaintance of the child but…he felt sympathy for her all the same. "Is it…possible, that she would be welcomed to stay here?" he offered.

Even if it was only one suggestion, Abigail felt her heart race at the idea. Indeed this was nice enough place, but she was even more foreign here than in the "world of men". How was she going to survive any better?

"We could keep her safe, of that there is no doubt," Galadriel said calmly. "But in truth, who would be the one to watch over him."

Then she spoke only to him, her voice casting out softly in his mind.

"_She __is __in __a __fragile __state, __mind __and __body. __I __hear __her __fear, __and __she __is __worried __about __acceptance a__s __much __as __she __is __about __recovering __her __strength. __Who __is __willing __to __accept __such __a __challenge?"_

'"I am," Haldir said, almost without thinking. There was the barest of moments when he considered taking it back, but just as quickly he felt no regret in saying it. The small connection he had with Abigail was beyond simply responsibility for the being the one to save her. Looking at her now, she was clearly unsure, but she had still had the determination, even briefly, to make it out of that room on her home. There was a unique potential within her, and he knew he could care for the girl. Strange as it seems, he would see her raised properly with a good guidance. He believed he could be such a mentor.

"What?" Abigail said, interrupting his thoughts, and feeling like she had somehow missed a part of the conversation.

"I will leave you for a moment." Galadriel send, a light smile hiding the true satisfaction she was feeling at the moment, and she left for a different part of the garden.

Abigail turned to face the elf captain, confusion but more so curiousity in her expression. "You are…what, sir Haldir?"

Haldir rubbed his temples for a moment. He had instinctively agreed to the proposal, but how could he explain this without sounding insane to a young girl who knew nothing about him?

"You will need a place to stay, if only for a week or so," he started simply

Abigail nodded.

"I could…that is to say, I am willing to…take you in," he finished. He wished he could make it sound for elegant or less forward or something, but only the simply truth had come to mind.

Her posture seemed more rigid for a moment, if only out of surprise, but interestingly enough she had actually kept her visible emotions neutral for the moment. "You would…let me stay with you?" she repeated carefully.

"Yes." He continued. "At least until you have regained your health to satisfaction, and perhaps have learned something about life in Middle Earth, if you memory still fails to return," he offered fully.

Abigail kept nodding, trying to understand what he was really suggesting. "What if we cannot find a normal home, or family for me after weeks have passed? What if I'm not…good enough?" she continued, doubt creeping into her town.

There was a pause of silence.

'How far am I willing to take this?' he thought. He took another long look into her dark blue eyes. Oddly enough, he found pleading. Perhaps she thought well of the idea.

"You would keep staying with me," he stated. "As a ward of some sort."

Abigail let the idea swirl around in her head, as if she was sampling a new flavor in her mouth. She felt, for an unknown reason, she could trust this elf. Perhaps it was the soothing present of the garden, or the fact that the talk with lady Galadriel had calmed her down somewhat. Still, she found no true discomfort with what he was suggestion, even if she was a little nervous.

"You make a most generous offer, my lord," she finally said, trying to copy the style of how he and Galadriel spoke. It was one small step she could take to fitting in. "And I am already in debt to you for saving my life. I have to ask…why do so much?"

He merely gave a small smile. "I sense something about you. Maybe intuition is telling me you have the potential to live easily among the elves, or maybe I sympathize only with a cry for a safe place; a home with reassurance. Whatever the cause, I do not wish to turn you away into an unfamiliar world. I can teach you many things, and I promise I will treat you well."

Abigail felt like crying again, but this time for joy. She would admit that hearing those words, she did feel safe in the presence of this kind, wise elf. It didn't have to make complete sense. Nothing about this day was going to make sense, and she was finally okay with it.

"I would like to stay with you very much, Captain Haldir." It was her turn to smile. "It would be an honor.

"Very well," the lady said, stepping out of the shadows of the tree.

Abigail almost jumped, forgetting the Galadriel had never really went away in the first place. "That's it?" Abigail asked. "No papers or something."

Galadriel shook her head. "As far as we are concerned, consent of the guardian and complete awareness of the situation from both parties is all that matter." She gave another small but radiant smile. "Willingly choosing to raise a child should not be made into a difficult ordeal."

"Abigail, find the room you were in. And do not hesitate to ask for help this time," he said with a knowing smile. "Everything left in that room that you think it useful is yours to take. They are all merely spares. I will meet you there short, but I would like to speak to Lady Galadriel alone, for a moment," he explained with a nod.

"Yes, sir," she said, a little unsure of what to call him, but the smile was still clear on her face as she followed a path out.

Haldir turned to Galadriel.

"My lady, you make no protest? Do you know already know it would lead to this?" He knew he visions weren't always clear, but sometimes she did have a way of seeing how exactly events would unfold.

Galadriel shook her head. "All I know is that the two of you share a bond, somehow. Perhaps it was destiny for you to save her. However, If you do not believe in destiny, then all I see is you eyes lighting up at the thought of her, and her heart being lifted by your kindness."

Haldir contemplated her words. "I do feel that I understand her…and that in time she will be able to understand me just as well, no matter how different we are now."

"Then that is the only answer anyone needs right now," she assured him, turning to walk away

"And the future?" he could not help but ask.

She looked back, thoughtful for a moment, before she gave a small shake of her head. "It can be dealt with when it comes."

He nodded, taking it as his cue to leave, but one more thought stopped in. "Can I ask one more thing, my Lady?" When she said nothing, he continued. "When we were taking that watch, the day we found her, we first noticed her presence when she cried for help. But I don not believe it was not out loud, for there was no echo in the woods. I…I am starting to think it was in our heads. The same feeling we get when you speak to us silently."

Galadriel remained quiet, her back towards the captain this time.

"Does this make any sense?"

She continued to face away, but he saw the small shrug of her shoulders. "I know what you are saying, but I can not explain it. If Abigail does not know, I do not know."

Admittedly, he was slightly crestfallen at that answer, but he hid it well. "Maybe it was nothing after all," he commented casually.

"If all the mystery's of these woods were solved in one day, your life would be dull, Captain," she reminded him, a lighter note to her tone now.

He laughed. "Indeed my Lady. For once, I will wait for time to happen." He gave polite bow. "Good-day, fair lady."

She looked behind her ever so slightly. "Good-day, generous captain."

And with that, Haldir left to go catch up to his new ward.

OoOoOoOo

It will now be a while before the next chapter, because I'm still deciding how much detail to put into her life. The story is going to be long enough already, though, so I might just fast-forward about 7 years to the Fellowship stuff. Stop me if that's a bad idea! Until later.

**2011 Notes:** Phew, these updates are adding about two pages to my chapters. I still think it's for the best, though. Especially in these early chapters, it was my first time really writing long scenes, and looking at it now it seems like such a mess lol.

Hello to any new readers, and if you're old readers and remember what these chapters were like before, tell me if they're any better!

Until the next revision!

-MN9


	5. Flaws and a Request

I reviewer pointed out several flaws in my story, so I would like to address them before I go on.

1) I realize Nazgûl don't really talk. Well, they have some sort of language, but it's not English. But there is a reason why Abby can understand them, and it kind of has to do with powers (it will be revealed later in the story). I also ignored the whole attack of the black breath attack that they do, and I will consider revising that scene.

2) Also mentioned: Westron and English aren't the same thing. I suppose that's true, but in the books, movies and in other FanFics, they are making them basically the same thing for writing purposes. I'll do the same, but J.R.R Tolkien still gets lots and lots of credit for the creative and amazing languages

3) I had NO idea Nibenial meant "petty woman". I had a translation that said "loyal follower". Obviously it's a bad translation. I'll fix that soon.

4) I am also some readers are little sick of this girl falling from the sky and joining the Fellowship bit. But this is only my first story, and I've had it in my head for a long time. I was really excited to share it. If you don't want to read this story anymore because of it, I understand. I have basically automatically become a Mary-Sue. But I would still like to finish the story with the plan I had in mind.

Okay on to the real story

Disclaimer: Yada yada yada, I don't own Lord of the Rings!

This will be a shorter chapter, since I took up a lot of space trying to explain my problems. And I need more time to think about how to explain Abby's life in Lorien, because I did get a request to not skip it ALL. This also gives me time to edit the previous chapters.

Chapter 4 Recap

"If all mystery's were solved in one day, your life would be dull, Captain."

He laughed. "Indeed my Lady. For once, I will wait for time to happen." He gave polite bow. "Good-day, fair lady."

"Good-day, generous captain."

Haldir left to go find his new ward.

'Hopefully I can find her faster.'

Chapter 5

Haldir entered Abigail's room to find clothes a strew all over the bed.

"Can I only where dresses?" she asked.

"Most the time, it is the most fitting attire for a lady."

"I told you I wasn't a lady." She said.

He smiled. "Relax, there is also riding outfits and such, all depending on what activity you are doing."

She sighed. "But they all still look the dresses."

"Is there something wrong with dresses?"

"No, they're usually pretty and comfortable, but they are harder to move in."

"I suppose, but I've never had to wear one."

Abigail giggled.

"I would hope not."

After choosing a few outfits, and having Haldir assure her they could always find more, the pair began walking towards Haldir's "tree house".

Abigail noticed they were moving to a more private, less populated area.

"Are you alone out her?"

He nodded. "I have not married, yet. And I don't spend enough time at home to socialize."

"Where do you go?"

Haldir stopped her for a second.

"This is the part I did not warn you about. I am the captain of the guard, so I am often away on watches or missions."

"Oh," she said. "I understand."

"Don't worry," he assured. "I promised you would be taken care of, I can always send I nurse if I am going to be away that long."

"A nurse?" Abigail complained. "How old do you think I am?"

The thing was, of course, she really had no idea. His estimate was all she had.

"Perhaps between 12-14 years."

"See! Plenty old to take care of myself!"

Suddenly she stopped and sat on the road.

"What is it?"

"My wounds, I guess the medicine is wearing off."

"You can lean on me," he offered. She did so, and they continued.

"Okay, so maybe I need some help."

"Exactly," Haldir confirmed. "You are extremely young to the elves. I myself am a few hundred years old.

(A/N- I'm sorry! I don't really know how old he his! I'll work on my facts!)

"How?" Abigail asked.

"We are immortal."

This seemed almost unnatural to her. "I have much to learn."

"But many can teach you."

"What else can you tell me about the elves?"

He thought. "Other things we are famous for are our archery and horsemanship. We also value our music very much. All our history can be told through song."

"Can you teach me that?"

"What?' Haldir asked.

"Archery, horseback riding, even fighting. Wouldn't it be good to know how to protect myself?"

"We are here." He distracted her. They had arrived a glorious house. It was carved out of white wood, like all the other, and she finally realized that they had come to and higher part of the tree.

"It's huge!' she gasped. "And I'm going to fall off. I can not believe you didn't while carrying me!"

"Another things elves are known for grace and balance." Haldir replied.

"You never answer my question."

He set her down on a bed, in a guest room.

"True, I am very skilled in those subjects, but they are not things a girl should do. You should be sewing, baking and singing."

"Please sir Haldir," she pleaded. "Let us take advantage of all this privacy. I will work hard, and I'll still sing and bake. Please?"

He gave in too the poor child's wishes.

"Very well, I can teach you how to ride and fight. But it will not be easy. If we start this, you must not give up. And I do expect you to know the proper ways of a lady as well. As my ward, it is a bit crucial to give a good impression and reflection."

The girl nodded enthusiastically.

"I will follow and listen to everything you say."

"Good." Haldir said. "For starters, how about you go to sleep, and listen when I tell you to stay here.

"Yes sir."

"I don't have a watch today, perhaps I shall start with something simple, like geography."

Abigail half nodded, half yawned. Haldir walked quietly out of her room, and shut the door. The house already felt different, having another presence in it. This was no doubt the beginning of a strange and wonderful relationship.

So, I'm editing and fixing right now, and I have a school project coming up. It could be a while before I write again, but just remember I'm only trying to make in the best for you! (cheesy smile)

Thanks to lovely reviewers:

IwishChan, Hope of Freedom, Reborn19, Navaer Lalaith, ArwenEvenstar83, and ChirikoFan.

I love the supportive and constructive criticism. Follow their examples and click review!

Until we meet again!

-MysticNight9


	6. A Quick Geography Lesson

Okay, here's the dealio with my story.

I didn't understand the term Mary-sue. I now realize the definition, and I guess this story is definitely a Mary-sue. Sadly, many of my stories will end up like that, I think. It's just so easy to write from a teenage girl's view. I'm sorry if this angers my reviewers. I still have much love for you all, though and I hope you can still stand to read my fics!

And I'm not skipping straight to the fellowship bit. I'll jump around a couple years of her life in Lothlorien. I don't want to dwell too much, though, because this story will already be very long. Well, read on!

Disclaimer: I would be British or from New Zealand if I owned any part of Lord of the Rings. I own nothing, so no suing!

Oh, and I am trying to brush up on my Middle Earth history so I can make the story more accurate. But I only just started The Silmarillion. For now, I want to get the general story out, which I don't think is that, bad. Sometime in the future, though, this story will have a major revision most likely. For now, enjoy, excuse my screw-ups, and have fun with your life! I have no regrets!

And I'll try to stop talking so much during my chapters! I just want to explain myself so you all don't hate me!

Chapter 5 Recap:

"I don't have a watch today, perhaps I shall start with something simple, like geography."

Abigail half nodded, half yawned. Haldir walked quietly out of her room, and shut the door. The house already felt different, having another presence in it. This was no doubt the beginning of a strange and wonderful relationship.

As Abigail slept, Haldir fiddled around the house quietly, finding subjects to teach her and trying to make the house more fashionable for his new company.

She emerged from her room, only a few hours later, and peered silently over his shoulder.

"What is all this for?" she asked.

"They are maps," he replied simply.

"I though you were joking."

"How do you plan to get anywhere when you don't even know where you are from?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Haldir regretted it. Not exactly what he wanted to say to a girl with recent amnesia. He began to apologize, but she stopped him gently.

"Do not worry, I know what you meant." She peered closer to the papers on the table.

"So, where are we?"

"We," he said, "Are right there. Just east of the Misty Mountains."

"Just to the other side," he moved his finger west "Is the city of Rivendell, another elvish home."

"There are more of you?" Abigail's eyes grew.

"Yes, more to the east in Rhovanion, lay the elves of Mirkwood."

"Mirkwood, it doesn't sound to glorious."

(A/N- I know it's spelled different, but it does sound like a murky wood if you think about it. Tolkien is still a genius, though!"

"Nay, it is a very lovely wood.'  
"Have you been there?"

"Yes, a few times. As I said, I have traveled much on missions for my people."

"What about war?" she asked quietly.

"I have seen my share of fights, and I will do much more. It is what I was trained for, and I worked very hard to get there."

"If I work as hard as you, can I be a captain?"

"Haldir laughed lightly.

"No, battles are not for women, nor are quests. You are the light we look forward to, after a weary time." He eyed her quizzically, for she was frowning slightly.

"What is it?"

"I'm no sure," Abigail said. "But it seems wrong that women should be held back, if it is their will to fight."

"You have much larger purposes, at a home and with a family. I said I would teach you to fight, but by the Valar I do not believe I would ever see you or let you use such a skill on a field of war."

"Yes sir, I understand." She changed the subject. "What other kinds of people are there?"

"You mean races?"

She nodded.

"Well, you are from the race of men, which you know. Then there are also creatures called Dwarfs-"

"Where are they?"

Turning back to the map, Haldir said,

"The biggest refuge for dwarves is also on the west side of the Misty Mountains. The dwarf mines of Moria."

"Do you go there?"

"Not often. Elves do not like the darkness and suffocation of the caves."

He waved a hand to the window.

"We prefer the more cheerful and peaceful setting of the woods."

She smiled, "I think I do too." She glanced down at the far east corner of the map.

"What is that? Mordor?" she pronounced slowly.

His expression went grimmer.

"I hope you shall never need to look at that place, or encounter the monsters that dwell there."

"I sense a story coming."

Haldir leaned farther back.

"To explain Mordor, you must first know of the dark lord…Sauron."  
"Sauron?" she murmured. The name felt vile in her throat, yet in the deepest corner of her soul, a thrill stirred at the mention of his name.

"What happened to him?"

"It suppose it started in the days of Ilúvatar and the Valar, when the first war began…"

With Haldir home for the rest of the evening, he told Abigail the history and events that changed the world today. Little did she realize that she knew this all once before, and she herself would be entwined in its story.

Short chapter, I know. I just wanted to let all you readers that I'm alive and planning the fate of Abigail. Keep me posted on your thoughts! Special thanks to reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83, ChirikoFan, Nuclear Nerd, midnight-flurry

Oh, and if you don't like me posting you name for some reason, just let me know.

Next time, Arphenon will be back with some company, and perhaps her training shall begin!

Au revoir for now!

-MysticNight9


	7. New Company

Disclaimer: I'm out of clever puns. So I'll just cut to the chase. I never have/will own any part of Lord of the Rings.

Grr…I hate it when you can't trust spell-check. When it's 1:00 in the morning, your own senses are kind of out of whack. Sorry for past spelling errors! Well, that's all I have to say for now. Aren't you proud? We can actually start with the chapter!

Chapter 6 Recap:

Haldir leaned farther back.

"To explain Mordor, you must first know of the dark lord…Sauron."  
"Sauron?" she murmured. The name felt vile in her throat, yet in the deepest corner of her soul, a thrill stirred at the mention of his name.

"What happened to him?"

"It suppose it started in the days of Ilúvatar and the Valar, when the first war began…"

With Haldir home for the rest of the evening, he told Abigail the history and events that changed the world today. Little did she realize that she knew this all once before, and she herself would be entwined in its story.

Hmm, long recap today. But it's all good.

For the next few days, with Haldir's spare time, he continued to teach Abigail some more history of Middle Earth. He favorite stories soon became the one's about the Valar.

"And Varda was the pretty one, right?" she asked, as the walked in the woods around Haldir's house.

"Well they were all glorious," Haldir said. "But it is true enough that Varda was known for her beauty."

"It also said," he continued, "that Lady Galadriel's grand-daughter is rival to the beauty of Varda."

"That would be Lady Arwen, correct?"

He nodded.

"Have you met her?"

"She has come to Lorien to visit the family."

"She sounds nice, I hope I can meet her sometime."

"Speaking of meetings, that's what we are doing know."

Abigail finally noticed where they had stopped. It was a house that was on more ground level. It looked similar to Haldir's home, but this house had silver colored carvings decorated on it.

"Why are we here?"

Hadir paused, just as he was about to knock.

"Remember how are told you that sometimes I would go on longer watches?"

Abigail nodded.

"This afternoon, I have to go on the very far borders."

"What for?"

He gave a small sigh.

"I need to check for signs of Nazgûl, I'm riding around the area where I found you."

She gave a small 'oh'.

"Do no worry, I do not expect to find anything. It was a one in a million chance that her would come this far in the first place, let alone come back when we are prepared for him."

"You still didn't really answer my first question," Abigail said. "Why are we meeting this elf, I told you I do no need a nanny."

"Then don't consider it a nanny. Just consider them friends.

"Friends? There's more that one?"

He could sense her nervousness. She was still shy around most elves, save for Hadlir and maybe Galadriel.

"It will be fine." He went to knock on the door, but it opened before he had the chance.

"When you two stand outside talking for so long I don't need a knocker to hear you," the male elf said with a smile.

"Arphenon," Haldir greeted with a handshake.

Arphenon shifted his eyes towards Abigail.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" He said warmly.

"Abigail, Arphenon was there on THAT day." Haldir explained.

"My goodness, how many elves do I need to thank?' she exclaimed quietly.

Arphenon gave a small laugh. "No thanks are needed, it was my pleasure. Not everyday do I get to save a pretty, young maiden."

Abigail gave a light pink blush.

"Arphenon, the reason I came for a favor. Today I have a longer watch mission to carry out. As you know, this will be a first of many-"

"Any being the esteemed bachelor you are, you need someone to watch her," he ended.

"Or, as she would prefer to think, just keep her company." Haldir said.

"Well, I would be happy to, but Merilien is the one who will be around more often, let us go ask her."

Haldir nodded. He nudged Abigail on the shoulder slightly, and they followed Arphenon inside.

Around the corner, they found an elf woman with long blonde hair (of course!) and an apron scanning a bookshelf.

Arphenon cleared his throat. The woman jumped around.

"_By the Valar Arphenon, if you invited company you should of told me_." She quickly threw off her apron.

"_Excuse me, Haldir, I was in my cooking mode."_

The elf finally noticed Abigail.

"Excuse me again, I didn't realize we had none-elvish ears in the room." She stepped closer to Abigail.

"Hello, dear, I am Arphenon's wife, Merilien."

(A/N-Old readers, please realize name change!)

Abigail gave a small curtsey and responded shyly,

"My name is Abigail."

Merilien gave a small and said to Haldir.

"_She is adorable!"_

Arphenon took the liberty of explaining the situation.

"That would be lovely," Merilien said. "I've already taught Rodwen everything I know; I need a knew apprentice."

She turned to Abigail.

"Rodwen is my daughter. There is also her younger brother, Authion."

"They are probably not so young to you, though. Their ages are 90 and 80," said Arphenon.

"Oh, I see." Abigail replied.

She didn't quite know what to make of the pair. Granted, she had only known them for five minutes, though.

"Sadly, my time is up." Haldir said. "I need to go now, Abigail."

While Arphenon and Merilien stayed, Abigail followed Hadlir to the door.

"When can I learn to fight?" she pleaded, the thought on the Nazgûl now fresh in her mind.

"Are you really in that much of a hurry?"

"Yes." No matter what he said, Abigail felt she needed to know how to fight. She knew in the back of her mind she would need it.

"Well, I can tell you are a fighter, the way you didn't give in to the poison." "Is it really that unbelievable that I lived?" she wondered.

"Yes," he said. "Even with elvish medicine, at your age with that deep I wound, it's almost a miracle for the history books."

"You avoided the question again." She complained.

He smiled. "Soon," was all he said.

He gave he a quick hug. "I'll be back tonight," and then he walked off.

Merilien came and fetched her.

"No need to fret dear, watches are fairly safe when we are not at war."

"Aren't we always at war with the dark lord?"

"He told you about that?"

Abigail nodded a yes.

"Well, it's a grim way to look at it, but with followers still at large I suppose it's true."

Merilien took a hard look at her.

"Your almost as unreadable as Haldir." She stated.

"Quite a match was made here," she said to Arphenon.

"They are the perfect cure to each others weaknesses."

"Indeed." Merilien said. She turned back to Abigail.

"I was just about to make a cobble, and I could use an extra hand. Would you like to help?"

"Yes." Abigail replied happily.

As she was slowly discovering her likes and dislikes, Abigail found out she had a knack for baking.

"That's good." Merilien smiled at the child eagerness. "From what I remember, Haldir can't tell the difference from salt and sugar!"

Abigail chuckled, "It makes for and interesting loaf of bread!"

Merilien gave a light laugh this time.

"Where are your children now. Rodwen and Authion, did you say?"

"Yes. Rodwen is visiting a relative on the west side, and Authion is practicing archery."

"Archery sounds interesting," Abigail said as she cut an apple.

'Yes,' Merilien, thought. 'A perfect fit for a lonely captain.'

Don't ya love Merilien? She is like the super mom of elves. There was a lot of dialogue in this chapter. It also gets really hard to spell Arpehnon…I mean Arphennen…I mean…oh never mind!

Thanks to cool new reviewers:

Samantha-Girl Scout and CelticRoseOfTheLake.

Oh and I must say to midnight-flurry: I wish my classes were like that too. How I would love to skip the mile in gym and do swordplay instead.

Next time you guys get to meet Rodwen and Authion. And hopefully Abigail's training will start actually start this time. I'm glad I could fit this chapter in before the weekend ends, and aren't I being nice with the lack of cliffies?

Click the review button and you get a telepathical 'thank you' from Abby!

-MysticNight9


	8. More Meetings

Phew, I just realized about 5 minutes that I forgot the disclaimer last chapter. Luckily I didn't receive any calls from a lawyer (but I turned off my phone just in case). Today I shall write it in bold capitals just to put at ease.

**DISCALIMER: I OWN NOT ONE PART OF LORD OF THE RINGS! NOT FOR A MILISENCOND! YOU CAN EVEN TIME ME!**

Okay, I think you all get the point. Gunward hoe to the chapter! And no, I have no idea what that means. Looks funny, though.

Chapter 7 Recap:

Abigail chuckled, "It makes for and interesting loaf of bread!"

Merilien gave a light laugh this time.

"Where are your children now. Rodwen and Authion, did you say?"

"Yes. Rodwen is visiting a relative on the west side, and Authion is practicing archery."

"Archery sounds interesting," Abigail said as she cut an apple.

'Yes,' Merilien, thought. 'A perfect fit for a lonely captain.'

Chapter 8

Rodwen walked silently through the wind, like any elf would do. If fact, it was so quiet that when she was still ten feet away from her door, she heard voices. One was her mother, she knew that well enough, but one she did not recognize. She opened the door and the first person she met was Arphenon, her father.

"_Evening_, Áda," she greeted. "_I did not know we were expecting company."_

"_We weren't. You mother was dropped with a unexpected, but still welcome task."_

Rodwen skillfully raised an eyebrow.

"_See for yourself_." He smiled. "_I'm going to cut of Authion and ruin the surprise for him. Tell you mother I will be back in a moment."_

She gave a nod, but was already walking towards the kitchen.

"Don't forget to cut the holes, dear, we don't want it to burst," she heard her mother say.

"Hello?" Rodwen ventured.

Merilien gave a warm smile.

"Hello, how is Aunt Larien?"

"Fine. Still convinced that it's the squirrel's stealing her potatoes, though."

Merilien gave a soft sigh.

"She'll never learn."

Merilien noticed quizzical looks on both girls' faces.

"How rude, I losing my head today. Abigail this is my daughter, Rodwen. Rodwen, this is Haldir's, umm-"

"Little pain in the neck," Abigail said.

"How about ward?"

Abigail just nodded, observing the new character. She had almost platinum blonde hair, with a slight wave in it. Her eyes were a bright gray, and her height was about the same as Merilien's. She gave a small curtsy to Rodwen.

"Pleased to meet you."

Rodwen gave her a small smile, still slightly confused. Her manners kicked in and she replied.

"It is nice to meet you to."

Merilien said to her daughter, in elvish,

"_This is the girl that Arphenon saved with Haldir on that watch. Remember with the n-"_

"_Oh yes, of course."_ She said, not needing to hear the rest. She looked at the child in a different light. Such a sad story, yet here she was with the most innocent grin on her face.

Abigail muttered

"I really need to learn elvish as well. How am I suppose to tell in someone is insulting me?"

"Oh, we would never do that," Rodwen said. "At least I only do it to stupid rangers. It is funny to just watch them nod and smile."

Merilien chuckled,

"You are awful, Rodwen."

"Father went out to meet Authion. Just to give him a bit of a warning, you know how he reacts to surprises.'

"Indeed," the mother said, wiping her hand on the apron. "Well, I think the cobbler is ready to go in the fire. Go ahead Abigail."

The child, handling it like glass, did as she said.

A noise came through the front door.

"_I swear father, the Valar enjoy seeing me suffer_."

"_Goodness gracious, Authion, 2nd place in a bulls-eye contest is not suffering."_

He only replied with a 'humph'.

Both men walked into the kitchen. The one standing next to Arphenon was just slightly taller than him. His hair was a bit more of a sandy blonde, with green-gray eyes (she assumed this was Authion).

"_Who's the cutie?"_ he said with a mischievous smile.

"_Be quiet, brother, she's only about 12_."

"_Peace, I was only jesting_." Then he mumbled, "_For now_."

Rodwen smacked him in the arm.

'There they go again,' Abby thought.

Arphenon started the introductions this time.

"Abigail this is Authion, my somewhat idiotic son."

"I resent that." Authion interrupted.

"Son, this is Abigail. Remember?"

"So, this is Haldir's new pet. Is he feeding and grooming you enough?"

Abigail blushed.

"Shush now. Don't mind him, Abigail, he just likes to get a good laugh."

"Don't worry. I never take idiots seriously."

"Oh yes, I like her." Rodwen said.

"I am starting to not like that title." Authion pouted. He turned back to Abigail. "So, will you be here often?"

"On Captain Haldir's long watches, yes." She said.

"But she's welcome anytime," Merilien added.

"Thank you, very much," said Abigail.

"Splendid. I can show you Swifter, tomorrow then."

"Swifter?" she questioned.

"His horse," explained Rodwen. "Of course, my horse Dagor, is much better."

"Is not!" exclaimed Authion.

"Is too!"

Abigail smiled. She had been doing a lot of that, ever since she came to Lorien. It felt like a nice change.

'Is it so strange to feel welcome? To feel happy.' Her mood sobered for a moment. This was common when she struggled with her own past and personality. Turning back to the bickering siblings, though, she cheered up again.

'Does mean I've gone from no families to two? I hope so.'

**Fast Forward to Tomorrow**

Abigail wasn't able to see Swifter, today, but she still had the promise of seeing him soon. But now a promise was going to be fulfilled. Haldir was taking her back to his private archer's target area, not far from his own house.

"Can I use this often?" she asked.

"When you are ready to shoot without a supervisor. But for while, I am going to ask you not to come down here alone. I can't have you shooting anyone, can I?" his lips curved into a small grin.

"Well, that will be the purpose in the end."

I suppose that is true. I told you, though, I do not think I will ever see you or let you use a weapon for a battle."

"Yes, sir."

'I can let him think that for now.' She thought.

"How do you feel about yesterday's meeting?" said Haldir.

"They are very open and kind for letting stay with them." She thought of Authion. "And they are funny.'

"I assumed it was a good idea. I'm glad you approve. A long time ago, a search mission needed to be done and Arphenon was my partner." He was lost in thought for a moment. "He saved my life on that trip, and we have been good friends ever since. The whole family is filled with gentle souls."

Abby listened silently. She loved it when Haldir shared stories about himself, but than she felt guilty that she had nothing to share with him

Moments later, they finally reached the shooting range.

"Okay, here is your weapon." He handed he a small object.

"A rock? You want me to hit the target…with a rock?"

"Let us see how your natural aim is."

She gave a sigh, but threw the rock at the target. She barely clipped the outside ring.

"Well, at least I hit it," she ventured.

"Try thinking that when you aim for a goblins heart, and then just graze his leg."

"I thought I was not going to fight?" she said with a smirk.

"Just visualization, my dear." He picked up another rock. Try throwing it harder. The faster it goes, the straighter path it will take to the target."

She did as he said, and this time she was able to hit a few inches up into the board.

"Better," he said simply. "If you want to aim better, use you left hand as a guide. If the rock is an arrow, be the bow."

She took a moment to place her arm, and than gave the rock a steady heave. She hit one of the inner rings.

"Yes!" she exclaimed.

"Not bad, let's see you do it again." He dared.

They tried this training for a good 30 minutes. He continued to give advice, and occasionally they switched from a rock to an apple or nut, while also changing the target range. The last few times, she was able to hit the bulls-eye almost perfectly.

"Very good," Haldir complemented.

"Thanks, can I use a real bow and arrow now?"

"First, I want to see if you can climb the rope over there?"

"What? Why!"

"I need to test your arm strength," he said. "You are most likely not able to pull to bow back even a few inches."

"That explains the change of wardrobe."

For the first time in almost a week, Abigail was able to wear pants, or breeches as they might say. They were dark green in color, while she wore a more woman's fitting tunic in top. The tunic was gray and a brown belt connected in all.

"Indeed," he smiled. "Now go."

Muttering who know what under her breath, she marched slowly to the rope. Giving one last evil glare to her mentor, she began to climb. Sadly, she only made it a few feet, before she slid back down and the earth met her butt.

"Ow!" she said.

"Not so easy is it?"

"Tree's are easier. They have grips and steps."

"Yes, but you can do so much more if you know you can support your own body wait." He helped her off the ground.

"Do not be too dismayed, it took a good while of conditioning for me to be ready?"

"You mean there is more? I think I want to go back to Merilien and do more sewing and baking."

"Too late," he said with is own evil grin. "Your choice, do this or you can take 50 laps around the arena."

Muttering yet more curses, much more than a child should know, she started to climb the rope.

Yea, longer chapter today! I got a break today from sports. Hopefully, when thanksgiving break starts next week I can get in some chapters, but you might not hear from me in a while. I have lots of tests and a concert to get ready for. I haven't heard much feedback in a while. Even if you write absolute nonsense, it would at least let me know if anyone is reading. I would rather have thoughtful reviews as well, though. Can't have it all I suppose.

Still, thanks to reviewers:

Tickin' Time bomb

And to faerie-goddess1012: Aragorn will be in the story, and any romance I have will be will him. That won't really happen until the fellowship gang comes in. Which will hopefully be in like 5-10 chapters. I still need some dedication to "golden wood" time. I warned you this would be a very long fic.

So, maybe not quite the lesson you were expecting, but I might need to do research before I work on swordplay. I don't even know how she should hold the bloody thing.

I hope you have a more relaxing week than I will!

-MN9


	9. Six Steps to Swords

Hello, did you miss me? I have a lovely 5-day weekend, and I am pumped to write. Hope you all enjoy it as well. Let's begin!

Disclaimer: Names, places, languages, creatures, plot points, etc. all belong to J.R.R. Tolkien or Peter Jackson. Except for Abby and some of the elves, of course.

Chapter 8 Recap:

"Do not be too dismayed, it took a good while of conditioning for me to be ready."

"You mean there is more? I think I want to go back to Merilien and do more sewing and baking."

"Too late," he said with is own evil grin. "Your choice, do this or you can take 50 laps around the arena."

Muttering yet more curses, much more than a child should know, she started to climb the rope.

Chapter 9

Slowly and surely, with the help of a couple weeks of running, climbing, jumping and lifting, Abigail was able to gain a lot of strength. This also was able to change her physical appearance as well. He figure thinned out and became leaner. Her hair was finally reaching past her shoulders, and the sun and fresh air made her complexion more rosy, but still fair.

This change came to her when she was changing into her training outfit (breeches and a long tunic). Like any girl would do, she looked at herself in the mirror for a moment.

'Wow, I've only been here for two months, and I'm already such a different person,' she thought. She gave herself a small grin.

'At least I'll always have my freckles. That will keep me from turning into an elf.'

(A/N –Since elves don't get sick, I'm assuming they stay away from skin problems due to the sun i.e. sunburn or freckles. How I envy them!)

She began to walk down towards the arena, expecting Haldir to be there in a few minutes.

She still had not met many elves, save for Arphenon's family. Abigail didn't really mind though, she was still shy around Haldir sometimes. Life remained simple, as she continued to find a sense of self. Lorien was beginning to feel more like home, which was a big thing for her. And archery was going well. Haldir had found a beginners bow, which was mush easier to hold and pull back, so she was finally able to shoot. His lesson on aim had worked, for on her first shot to was fairly close to the bulls-eye.

Stepping through the brush, she was surprised to see Haldir already there.

"How was the scout?" Abigail asked.

"A dead end," Haldir said. "It was just a jumpy huntsman's hallucination, just as I assumed. Highly doubtful we were going to find an Oliphaunt by the mountains."

"What did you do at Lady Merilien's?" he said.

"She and Rodwen attempted to teach me to learn some writing, but the symbols are much to foreign. They would be even without memory loss."

"Well, there is plenty of time to learn. I can help as well with my spare time," he offerned.

"What spare time?" Abigail joked. "You already have missions and training, not to mention sleeping."

"There is always time for you," he said simply.

Abigail tried to hide her blush.

'Everyday she is becoming more like a daughter to me. And it has only been two months,' he thought.

"Anyway," he said, gaining back his focus. "I thought we would start something new today. Sword fighting."

'Yes!'

"First, a quick oral presentation. There are 6 main components to swordplay. Number one, conditioning-"

"No!" Abigail screamed in mock terror. "If I have to climb one more rope, I swear my hands will fall off!"

How he enjoyed making her sweat.

(A/N Bwa ha ha!)

"If you would let me finish, I think you have done enough of that. We can skip the first step for now."

'Praise be to the Valar,' she thought.

"Second step, " he continued, "is balance. A weapon will, of course, add extra weight to your momentum. He you can not balance you swing, you will make a fool of yourself and fall."

"Thanks for the confidence."

"Third step, timing. You need to be patients and wait for the right opportunity. No self control can lead to a disaster."

"So patience is a virtue," Abigail mumbled.

"Number four is breathing. Try to keep it steady and deep. This will help you not to panic, you won't get tired as easily and you will overall have better concentration."

"Well, I'm glad you told me that because I really planned on holding my breath during a fight," she said, with much sarcasm

He gave a mock sigh. "Must you always comment?"

"I am just so clever that way," she smiled.

"Going on to number five, you must keep you mental game. Pay attention to your opponent's style of fighting and find weaknesses. He may also try to distract you be taunting or yelling and you must ignore it. Nazgûl often use such a tactic."

Out of curiosity he asked, "Do you remember anything about you encounter.

"Not really. If it wasn't for the scar on my side, I don't think I would of even believed what you told me," said Abigail.

"Perhaps all for the better," Haldir concluded. "Not a pleasant memory it would be. Nightmares and frightening hallucination often are side effects to those who can recall the attacks."

'That's comforting,' she thought.

"Anyway, our final step (number six) is your equipment."

He leaded her over to a bench that was currently covered with a sheet.

"You aren't proposing I attack with a blanket, I assume?"

He took off the blanket, to (dramatically) reveal 3 sets of weapons.

He picked up the first sword. It was short and wide.

"This is a "bunch sword". It's a bit thicker and can pierce thinker objects, but not with a very clean cut. It's best used for close combat."

(A/N – I don't really know swords and/or their names. Please just bear with me.)

Abigail grasped it. "It's hard to balance with, I thinks it's the weight."

"This is probably the least used sword type, because of that reason. This is better for killing animal, not people."

He went to grab the second sword.

"You can call this a "slit sword". It is longer and sharper than the first, and it can vary in width. It is smarter to get it wider, for you can get better power against your opponent that way. Some prefer thin, though, because it's lighter, you can maker quicker moves, and it is possibly to hold it with only one hand."

He gave it to her to test. It was about a medium size, and a little blunt, but

"I like this one better. I definitely have a better handle on it, and it is easier to strike with."

She gave a quick swipe, and cut off a chunk of a bush.

"Hmm, not a bad cut you had there," Haldir commented.

"The last set here" he went on, " is popular among elves. The "long daggers."

He demonstrated a few moves, one dagger in each hand.

"Sharp as a swords, but small enough to be called a dagger. Have two weapons at once can give and advantage on offense and defense."

"Why do elves like this?"

"When you are already harnessing a bow and quiver, a smaller second weapon is nice. Many still carry all three: sword, dagger and bow. For regular scouts, I will take only the daggers, but if I plan to fight I often strap a sword in."

She carefully took the dagger from him. They were about 2 feet long she guessed, and about and inch wide.

"I like these the best," she decided. And that was all she needed to say.

"I can train you in all three styles." He offered. "But we can always focus on one."

"Let's start with the long daggers," she suggested.

"Very well. In general, try to keep the attacks high. At the right moment, it can give you a good attack at the rest of his body.

"Doesn't the same go for you, won't you be exposed."

"Not if you play your cards right. Just don't do that when you are on a horse, and your opponent is on the ground.

Haldir grabbed the slit sword.

"When I come at you, try to block with one dagger, and right away attack with your other. If you can't hold me, use both."

"Should a block with me right or left arm."

"If you can try to do it with the left, because you can get s stronger cut with your right and it's likely the right side will be the most exposed side."

"After I block."

"Be creative," he shrugged. "Let's see how well you think on your feet."

"Okay," she said, making fighting stance. "I'm ready."

Haldir ran at a slower charge, and they danced a small duel.

Well, I finally got to the fighting, but I'm not the best at action sequences. I will have some, but for know you can use your imagination. It'll be good for your mind. :)

Next chapter I'll start some of the timeline hopping, just skipping a couple years ahead most likely. Again, if there is a demand I can later on write a sub-story about life in Lorien.

Thanks to http/ for the notes of sword fighting.

I plan to write another chapter ASAP. For now, happy holidays!

-MysticNight9


	10. A Gift for the New Year

Yeah, there is snow outside! It is officially winter in my opinion. Only downside is that it's really cold in my room, and my parents are really stingy with the thermostat. Well, on to the disclaimer.

Disclaimer: If you haven't learned by now that I don't any part of Lord of the Rings, I'm not sure you deserve to read my story.

Just kidding, keep reading!

Chapter 9 Recap:

Haldir grabbed the slit sword.

"When I come at you, try to block with one dagger, and right away attack with your other. If you can't hold me, use both."

"Should a block with my right or left arm."

"If you can try to do it with the left, because you can get s stronger cut with your right and it's likely the right side will be the most exposed side."

"After I block."

"Be creative," he shrugged. "Let's see how well you think on your feet."

"Okay," she said, making fighting stance. "I'm ready."

Haldir ran at a slower charge, and they danced a small duel.

Chapter 10:

It had been about ten months since Abigail's first sword lesson, so to the best of her knowledge she was now 13.

(A/N-Since she forgot her real age, the elves decided she was 12 when she first came to the woods.)

It also meant a new year was added to the age of Middle Earth.

She was now much better and swordsmanship and archery now thanks to Haldir's teaching. Still not at the elvish skill level though.

With Haldir gone for the next couple day on yet another long scout, Rodwen and Authion took it upon themselves to start a new lesson: horseback riding.

"Now make sure you find a calm horse," lectured Merilien. "And make sure you don't go too fast. And for all that is good, Authion, no pranks! I do not want he horse to go on a rampage."

"Well that ruins all my plans!" exclaimed Authion.

Merilien and Rodwen smacked him at the same time.

"Ouch!"

"Oh toughen up little brother," teased Rodwen. "Sometimes a mistake you as being 13 and Abigail's the 81-year-old."

Abigail giggled. "I hope your math is wrong, Rodwen, or I would be an old maid."

"That does it, if no one can be serious there is no way I'm letting you get on a horse."

Merilien had become quite protective over Abigail. She was like another daughter.

"_Don't worry mother, you know I'll take care of her_."

Like her mother, Rodwen also considered the girl one of the family, but like a little sister.

"I agree to what I'm guessing she said," nodded Abigail. "And besides, maybe I have already been on a horse. With me you never know."

Merilien nodded and said nothing. She sometimes worried when Abigail joked about her condition. She wondered if the none-caring mask she put on was true."

"If you two are ready, let's go," Authion yelled.

"Wait, dear, take a cloak with you. It's a tad windy today."

Merilen threw a couple of dark green cloaks towards Rodwen.

"Thanks mother, we will be back for dinner."

'Speaking of dinner, I should start heating the water know,' Merilien thought.

Abigail was excited. She was finally going to see the horses!

"Have you really not been on a horse here?" asked Authion.

She shook her head.

"Haldir showed me his, but I have yet to ride."

"Excellent! Swifter's a great horse to start on!"

"No," Rodwen interrupted. "Didn't we agree Dagor is a much better horse?"

"He is not!"

'Here we go again,' Abigail thought. She decided to try and change the subject.

"Does this dress need to be so baggy?" Abigail tugged at her clothes.

"That's the point. It's so we can move easier." Rodwen explained.

The girls were both wearing riding dresses. Rodwens was a brownish-red, while Abigail's was a dark blue. They were loose, with slits up the side so they could saddle the horse and they wore leggings underneath. Authion was wearing the normal gray tunic with green leggings.

Authion gave a chuckle.

"Don't let the gown swallow you up, Abigail."

"Your mean!"

"Just my job, dear. And you should think up some better comebacks."

Abigail, very "maturely" of course, stuck out her tongue.

"Here we are, the west stables," said Rodwen.

Abigail gasped. It was huge!

"You need more stables than this?"

"Think logically, Abby. How many elves and soldiers are in Lorien? And we get new horses all the time for newcomers, like yourself," Authion said.

"Okay, good point-wait, I get a horse?"

Rodwen smiled. "Surprise! Haldir arranged it. Think of it as a late birthday present. Come on, we'll show you."

They walked past rows and rows of horses before they actually came to a halt.

"First off, this is my horse, Swifter," Authion presented. It was a male horse that was gray with white spots.

"I can't believe you couldn't think of a more creative name," said Rodwen.

"Hey, I was 10, give me a break."

Next-door was a golden horse with a black mane and tail.

"I see you've spotted my horse, Dagor." Rodwen said proudly.

"The black is cool."

"I like it too, it makes him unique. His coat comes from his mother and his father had the black hair."

Dagor gave a soft whinny.

"Your horse is right over here." Authion pointed to a stall right across from Swifter.

Abigail peered of the pen door, and felt the hot snort come on her face. Eye to eye with her was a chestnut horse with a white star.

(A/N-For those who don't know, a star is the mark on a horses forehead, if they have one. At least, I think that's the name.)

"It's a female, if you can't tell," offered Authion. "What do you want to name her?"

Abigail pondered. "I don't know what is worthy of her."

"Just say what comes to mind. If it comes from the heart, it's perfect," said Rodwen.

"How about…Sagitta."

(A/N-Sagitta is a constellation, 'The Arrow'. It comes from Sagittarius, 'The Archer'. I thought it worked, I'm not too good at names.)

The horse gave a "neigh", which she took as a sign of agreement.

"Hmm…well I give you points for creativity. Does it have any meaning?" asked Authion.

"I think…it's a star. I don't know where it came from, really."

"I kind of like it. Fits the star on her head," Rodwen said.

Authion shrugged. "Okay, let's get everyone saddled up."

He and Rodwen showed Abigail how to place the bit and the bridle, and well as how to strap the saddle.

"I doubt I'm going to remember this."

"Don't worry, we are going to come back tomorrow," Authion said.

Abigail noticed there was not saddle on Swifter. "Aren't you forgetting something?" she pointed.

"No," said Rodwen as she mounted Dagor. "The show off likes to go bareback." She whispered to Abigail. "He's trying to impress the ladies."

They both giggled.

Authion rolled his eyes.

"Abby, just give Sagitta a little kick and she should just follow us out."

Abigail laughed again. "What did you call me?"

"Abby. Seems to fit you better."

Rodwen nodded. "Abby-that's cute."

"Fine, you two go ahead and call me Abby."

She was surprised the Abby felt as normal as Abigail.

'Life is full of surprises,' she thought.

"Does this mean I can call you Authy? Or maybe Thion?"

"Nope," he said. "It does mean, however, that I can call you crabby Abby!" He laughed and made is horse gallop around the ring.

"No fair, I don't know how to gallop!"

"If you really want to," Rodwen said, "Give Sagitta a nudge and shake her reigns, then hang on tight."

"Abby" did as she said, and Sagitta was off.

'Yee-haw' she laughed again. The rest of the afternoon the siblings taught her some commands, turns, and even let her do a few small jumps.

"Just don't tell mother."

As promised, the three returned to the stables the next day. Haldir later returned in the evening.

As soon as he came in, Abigail rushed to him and gave him a big hug. He was a little shocked at first, but returned it nonetheless.

"What was that for?"

"The horse," she said. "She's beautiful."

"I see. Your very welcome."

"Authion and Rodwen taught me a lot. Maybe I can go riding with you now."

"Of course. But what I really had in mind was another lesson."

She raised an eyebrow. "What lesson?"

He smiled. "Fighting on a horse. Let's see how you aim lasts when bouncing on a horse. Or trying to keep you balance when riding."

"Sounds like fun!"

But to herself she thought, 'As if my butt isn't sore enough.'

"Well, if we are going to go on trail rides, let's brush up on your mapping skills," Haldir said. "If your up to it."

"Yes sir, I'll go make some tea."

That's how the pair kicked off a new year in Lorien.

So I lied. I didn't do the jump a said I would. I wanted to add some more to the relationship between Abigail and Arphenon's family, because they are a big part of her life. Only a few more chapters until the fellowship, I think. In those chapters there will be a power revealed, a feast, a mission and a vision.

Thanks to reviews from:

ArwenEvenstar83, midnight-flurry, and Samantha-Girl Scout. You three are part of my continuous reviewers. You guys are awesome!

XClaireX: Thanks for pointing out spelling errors. I know I have a lot to fix and it is on my to-do list.

Dee69: I'm glad you like it. I hope you keep reading!

I'm now past 25 reviews! Which is ¼ to 100! Which is ½ to 200!

(Geez, talk about having your glass half-full).

Keep it up please; you make my writing worth something:)

Happy winter.

-MN9


	11. A Power and a Feast Revealed

Hmm…not much to report today. It's cold and rainy out so the snow is becoming slush and you can't see three feet in front of you due to the fog. Gotta love the Midwest!

Disclaimer: Can't think of a clever pun again. I don't own Lord of the Rings. By the Valar, don't sue!

Chapter 10 Recap (I can't believe I've done 10 Chapters!):

She raised an eyebrow. "What lesson?"

He smiled. "Fighting on a horse. Let's see how you aim lasts when bouncing on a horse. Or trying to keep you balance when riding."

"Sounds like fun!"

But to herself she thought, 'As if my butt isn't sore enough.'

"Well, if we are going to go on trail rides, let's brush up on your mapping skills," Haldir said. "If your up to it."

"Yes sir, I'll go make some tea."

That's how the pair kicked off a new year in Lorien.

Chapter 11:

Now two years have past, and Abigail was nearing 16. She had been taught almost all skills dealing with fighting or horseback riding, and her friends were helping her perfect it. She no longer had to stay with Merilien and Arphenon when Haldir went away, but she visited just as often (maybe more).

She had also become much more social, meeting Rodwen and Authion's friends and some of those friends family. But her openness came with a downside. Like any civilization, you will have people (or elves) who are prejudice. Some do not like the fact of having a human girl learning and living in the city. Especially one with such a questionable past.

Today, Abigail decided to take a short ride on Sagitta by herself. As she came to her pen, she made sure to say hi to Swifter and Dagor as well.

She put a bridle on Sagitta and led her out.

"Want an apple, girl?"

The horse snorted.

Abby laughed, "Right. Like I even need to ask."

She pulled a small green apple out of her pocket.

(A/N-I might kind of switch back and forth between Abigail and Abby. I don't know which one I like better, considering the time and place)

She took a small, backside trail, wanting some privacy today. She pulled her cloak a bit closer, as the wind blew cold.

'I guess autumn is coming towards the mountains,' she thought.

Suddenly, she realized two riders were coming up behind her. Nothing threatening of course, they were going at an easy trot. Still, she could tell they were trying to catch up with her. She glanced back and sighed.

"Oh no, here comes dumb and dumber," she mumbled.

The two horses turned in to cut her off.

"Sorry, did you want to go this way?" one of them said, with a good hint of disdain.

"Afternoon Lord Carnil, Lord Hanwu."

To her, they certainly weren't lords, but Haldir always encouraged good manners.

'You never know, an enemy could be stopped with a please or a sorry,' Abby quoted in her head.

"Will you please move, I'm just going for a ride," she continued.

The boys ignored her. They were boys, only a few years older than her.

"Really an interesting character, wouldn't you say Carnil?"

"Quite, but that's not a compliment, Hanwu."

"By the Valar, what are they on about now?" she said to herself.

The pair stared at her for a moment, then kept talking.

"Look at this, Carnil. She wear's men breeches and tunics-"

"But she still wears her skirt."

It really bothered Abigail when they ended each other's sentences. In others it could be cute, with them it was just annoying.

"Look again, Hanwu, she has dark hair, quite unnatural for Lorien elves, and she has spots like a mortal."

(A/N- spots meaning freckles)

"I noticed too, but she rides in elvish fashion and wears elvish braids."

Abigail was a bit curious as to their point, so she kept quiet (she was also trying to think of a retort).

"So, is she a man or is she a woman?" Carnil asked his brother.

"Is she a elf or is she a human?"

She was now angry and she tried to go around them, but they moved to block her again.

"It is very unseemly to not makes up ones mind," said Hanwu, almost darkly.

"Why don't you take your pitiful self back to a farm where you belong," agreed Carnil.

"Stop it. Let me pass," she said in a low, warning tone.

The brothers laughed.

"I do believe she is trying to threaten us."

"Let me pass, now!" she said louder.

"I would like to see you try."

"I said STOP!" she almost screamed.

She pushed her hands out, only to make a gesture, but suddenly both boys went flying off their horses. Strange fact was that the horses hadn't moved at all. Abigail was in shock; she could feel a power coming off her self. She quickly drew her hands back, and the horses were stumbled off the trail, as if something had pushed them forward.

The brothers on the ground, both with a few cuts, stared at her with slight awe but mostly fear.

"I…I didn't"

She was stuttering. The words just couldn't come out. She turned Sagitta around and galloped back to the stables.

She practically threw all the gear of the horse, before walking very fast (almost a jog) back to Haldir's house.

'How, what was that. What did I do?'

A million thoughts were racing through her brain.

She collided with a solid object, mumbled a 'sorry' and went to move again.

"Hey," the voice said, and grabbed her arm.

She was worried it was a guard, ready to throw her in jail. She was relieved to see it was just Authion.

"What's the hurry? I though we were going to shoot some arrows?" he questioned. He took a good look at her face.

"Abby, are you alright? You look like you've seen a troll."

She would have preferred a troll.

"N-nothing, I'm fine."

"Seriously?"

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"Yes, sorry. Sagitta got spooked on the trail and almost bucked me off. Gave me a bit of a fright, too."

"Oh, okay. Do you still want to shoot?"

"Sounds good. Let me grab my bow. Let's go to Haldir's private field, I'm sure he won't mind," she suggested.

"That's fine, see you there."

As soon as she was inside, she poured a big glass of water, thankful to find Haldir wasn't there.

She went to her room to grab her bow. She looked in the mirror, and paused.

'I wonder…'

She turned around and looked at her hairbrush. She concentrated and tried to find that same fuel of anger that she just had. She felt a tug, and imagined that hairbrush sliding of the dresser. All of a sudden, it did just that.

'I can…move things with my mind? Is that possible.'

She decided to just move on down to the field.

'Maybe I should tell Haldir or even Lady Galadriel. She had mind powers too.'

She looked around before stepping outside; making sure no one was there.

'I hope no one else saw what happen.'

She was hopeful Carnil and Hanwu wouldn't talk, being too proud to admit there were beaten by a girl.

Authion was already shooting when she got there.

"Where's Rodwen today?" Abby asked.

"Visiting Aunt Larien again."

"What is she complaining about his time?"

Authion gave a small chuckle. "Today she is convinced that the blue jays are stealing her jewelry."

Abby smiled as she loaded an arrow.

"Are you going to the feast on Thursday?" He shot a bulls-eye.

"What!" Abby completely missed the target. "That's only two days from now! I need to think of an excuse."

"Please come, Abby, it will be fun, Authion said.

"No way! I always make a complete fool of myself at these group events."

The last feasts she went to, she somehow flung custard at the 1st and 2nd generals. The dance before that, she spilled the water pitcher. Twice.

"Oh that's right," Authion said, recalling the incidents. "I'll admit you're unlucky. But now your due for a good time."

'Considering what happened this afternoon, I thinks I'm still having the bad luck,' she thought.

"Does your silence mean yes?" he asked hopefully.

She sighed, but smile despite her self. "I'll consider it."

"I have a better idea, let's have a contest. We'll shoot 20 arrows, and whoever gets the best score wins. If I win, you have to go. If you win, you can stay at home reading, again."

She shrugged. "Sounds fair."

"Great. I hope you have a dress ready, because you're going."

"You wish, Thion!"

He cringed. "I'll take idiot of them stupid name.

"Okay idiot."

The pair laughed, as they both aimed their arrows.

30 minutes later

"Bloody elf with his stupid bow," Abigail grumbled.

After 3 rematches, she still lost. This time when she came home, Haldir was there.

"What happened is Sagitta's stable, the gears is scattered everywhere?" he asked immediately.

"Sorry, I was in a rush. I clean it, I promise."

"What was the hurry?"

"Nothing," she said, staring at the floor.

He held her head up. "Don't lie to me, what happened?"

"You might want to have a seat," she said, before explaining the story.

"Are you sure it was you?"  
"No one else was around. I felt something in me, I know I did it," Abigail confirmed.

"Can you do it again?"

She nodded, and Haldir watched as a glass started to float in mid-air, then land softly back on the table.

He observed, as she hardly moved at all.

"Strange, you look natural."

"Maybe this is something I forgot when I lost my memory. It would some easily in that case."

" I hope that's the case," he said. "To have been granted such a powerful gift out of nowhere would make me more worried. Even if I don't understand it in the first place."

He was then silent, no doubt thinking.

"You're taking this rather well," she observed.

"Wizards perform all sorts of magic feats everyday. Other elves have special talents and gifts, like Lady Galadriel. True you are young, and a mortal girl, which makes this a very rare and strange happening. In the end, though, it is not completely unheard of."

"Makes sense, I suppose," she said. "Should I talk to The Lady?"

"I think that would be wise. I will go with you, right before the feast. That way the will be in a good mood."

She smiled. "You are always thinking ahead."

"Of course, it's my job."

"Thank you," said Abigail. She leaned against his shoulder.

He kissed on the head, "Anytime."

At night, when she was sleeping, she was unable to keep that peaceful state. She was tossing and turning during a dream.

_She was a room. It was familiar, but it was not from Middle Earth. She could not name the all the objects. A voice pounded at the door._

"_Let me in. Open this door bitch!"_

_She was trying to hold the door with her mind and body._

_The voice changed. It became deeper, and raspy. Almost like a low and deadly whisper._

"_You cannot hide." _

_The door burst open, and a cold shadow grabbed her body._

"_No!" she screamed._

"_I am the mighty. You will not deny my power and you cannot keep yours!" the voice hissed._

_The shadow forced it self in her mouth, and began to burn her throat and lungs._

"_You are made only for me," the hollow whisper was by her ear._

_She could not breathe to scream, and gave in._

Abigail then woke up, with the worst headache.

Ohh, creepy! But that wasn't the vision I was referring too. If fact, maybe "vision" will be a bad label (you'll see what I mean).

Sorry about those two elves so mean. I decided anger was a good way to jump-start her power.

Reviewing thanks goes to:

ArwenEvenstar83 and Samantha-Girl Scout.

Both are very cool people, and you can be cool too with the low price of clicking the review button! Yeah!

We are nearing the fellowship, aren't you excited?

Keep reading, it's good for you.

Until next time,

-MysticNight9


	12. A Stubborn Mirror and a Dance

If you wish to know more about me (for whatever reason) I've updated my profile. I also hope to keep a little blog on it, to let you know where I am on my stories or other little notes. Okay, let's get started.

Disclaimer: Blah blah, don't own Lord of the rings, blah blah, never will, blah don't sue.

Chapter 11 Recap:

_The door burst open, and a cold shadow grabbed her body._

"_No!" she screamed._

"_I am the mighty. You will not deny my power and you cannot keep yours!" the voice hissed._

_The shadow forced it self in her mouth, and began to burn her throat and lungs._

"_You are made only for me," the hollow whisper was by her ear._

_She could not breathe to scream, and gave in._

Abigail then woke up, with the worst headache.

Chapter 12:

She never told Haldir the nightmare. She told herself it was nothing; he did not need worry about it. In truth, she was too afraid to retell it, too afraid to have an answer.

The few days up to the feast were normal. The only change in Abigail's schedule was that she made some private time to practice her power.

Soon the day was there, but she was probably even more nervous to confront the Lord and Lady.

"Are you sure they won't mind?" she asked Haldir for the 10th time.

"Yes," he assured. "You are one of their people, and it is their duty to help their people."

'One of their people. Yeah…sure,' she thought to herself.

They approached the guard by the door to the throne room.

"Captain Haldir and his ward, Lady Abigail, here to see Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel," Haldir announced.

The elf nodded. "Of course sir, please go in."

"Thank You."

Abigail fell in short step behind Haldir as they entered. A bright light greeted them as always, and she still squinted her eyes.

Haldir went into a bow while she did a deep curtsey.

"Rise, please," said Lord Celeborn. He eyed Abigail. "I am not sure if you have been formally introduced, but I know who you are."

Abigail curtsied again. "It's an honor to meet you, my lord."

He gave a small smile. "Indeed. I'm sorry I cannot stay longer. The cook has been asking for me all day." He turned towards Haldir. "You know what these party's are like."

Haldir grinned. "Yes my lord."

"I'll see you tonight then." Celeborn gave his wife a quick kiss on the cheek, and then left the room.

Galadriel eyed Abigail, but her eyes were bright and happy. Abigail was relieved to see no annoyance.

"Of course you are not a burden child. I have been looking forward to out next meeting."

Abigail was shocked for a moment, but then smiled.

'Right, mind-reading.' She thought. She then spoke out-loud.

"Do you know why I am here, my lady?"

Galadriel shook her head softly.

"It is hard for me to know exacts, but I have mused over I few ideas. At first, focus was on how and why did you come to be here. Now, we begin to question on who you really are."

"If you don't mind me saying, my Lady, I've been pondering that question for a long time, not just recently," Abigail said.

"Hmm, I suppose you would." She stood up from her chair. "Come, both of you. I believe walking and talking are always a better combination."

(A/N Since I still have a lot to write still, and you should already know what happened, I'm not going to explain it again.)

Galadriel did not look surprised; she only seemed thoughtful after Abigail explained the story.

"So I no longer the only one in the golden woods with mind power," she finally said.

"Lady Galadriel, do you think this could possibly be evil?" Haldir asked.

"How you wield a power defines whether it is good or evil," she turned her head slightly towards Abigail. "I do no find the beholder evil, do you?"

Haldir shook his head. "Of course not."

Abigail questioned her self on if she should tell Galadriel her dream. She tried to look the lady in the eyes, but she couldn't.

'I just don't think I'm ready,' so she said nothing.

Galadriel raised an eyebrow.

'Oh no! Did she hear me?' Abigail panicked. She tried to keep her thoughts clear, while not showing anything on her face.

She said nothing, and then moved on.

"I think you are ready."

"For what?" Haldir and Abigail said at the same time.

She picked up a silver pitcher.

"To look into my mirror."

Abby had heard of Galadriel's favorite mirror, she hardly knew anyone who had looked into it, or if they did were willing to share what it was like. With this thought, she approached almost warily toward the bowl. She went up the short step, but did not look in yet.

"Do not be afraid, it will no bite you," said Galadriel with humor in her voice.

Abby took a glance at Haldir, who gave an encouraging nod and he watched as she slowly looked over the edge.

Abby looked for a few long seconds then said, "Nothings happening. I think it's broken."

When she looked up again, she wasn't comforted by a confused look on Galadriel's face.

"Look again, maybe," suggested.

Abby did as she was told. "Still nothing."

"Most interesting," mused the lady elf. "The mirror will sometimes only show one quick image, or it will stop before we reach and answer. But I can not recall a time when it refused to show anything."

'Well this story just keeps getting better,' though Abigail, angrily.

"Try not to dwell, my dear," she said. "There is a purpose to whatever is shown or not shown."

Abigail curtsied again. "Thank you for the chance, my Lady."

"Your welcome," she replied. "Do not be a stranger, please visit me again. I'm most curious to hear your other thoughts and tales.

"_Or maybe your dreams?" _her voice rang in Abigail's head.

The girl gave a silent gulp, but managed to keep her composure.

"I will, my lady. Thank you again."

"Enjoy the feast, my lady," Haldir said and he began to lead Abigail out.

"You as well," she called as they left. She slowly emptied the pitcher and watched the water fall.

"Most interesting indeed."

(A/N-I'll be nice and keep going. Fast forward to the feast.)

They were still on the dinner part of the festivities. Abigail was sitting in-between Rodwen and Haldir, while Arphenon and crazy old Aunt Larien sat across the table.

Rodwen and herself were discussing the new herb found that could help cure burns. Arphenon and Haldir were talking about some old battle strategy and Larien was suspiciously eyeing a rabbit.

"Relax, dear sister. It is only hoping for a carrot," Arphenon assured.

"Oh, that's how it starts. You give them a carrot and next thing you know they are digging up your tomatoes and potatoes and wasting on your daisy's," Larien said sharply.

Abby giggled to Rodwen, "Isn't the ground already 'soiled'?" (hahaha)

Haldir hushed them as Lord Celeborn rose for a speech.

"Welcome all, you presence is a joy. There is not much I need to say, now. It is a beautiful fall night with good company and better wine."

"Hear, hear!" said Arphenon. Larien whacked him "Quiet, brother!"

"See, it's genetics. It is fate to hit Authion!" Rodwen whispered.

"We celebrate friends and family who share this night in our lovely home. We give thanks to Lorien, out golden wood!" Celeborn ended.

"To Lorien!" The crowd shouted. Then a small band started up, telling the company it was time to dance.

An elf known as Finwé came up to Rodwen.

"May I have this dance," he spoke with a slight bow.

Rodwen smiled. "Sounds lovely," and she got up. She turned back once to look at Abby, and Abby in return gave her a little wink.

Just then someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"I couldn't help but notice you had been left alone with such horrible company."

"Hey, I know where you live son!" Arphenon joked.

Authion replied, "You won't remember after all that wine you just drank."

"Err, don't tell your mother about that."

"Don't tell me what?" said Merilien coming up from behind.

"Umm, that I was…err-"

"Let's go before he finishes," suggested Abby. She looked at Haldir for permission.

"Don't worry I can find my own dance partner," he said.

She nodded and Authion led her over to the dance area, where they began a simple waltz.

"Why do you look so please with yourself?" she asked.

"Because you came, showing I have an impact on you."

"Well, in truth, you cheated the contest."

He gasped. "I never cheat!"

"Oh please, there be no way that last shot was a bulls-eye. I remember it distinctly hitting the red. You moved it when I wasn't looking."

"I would like to see you prove that," he said. "Anyway, can't you admit you are having a good time?"

She twirled out, "Never." She twirled back in. "The night is young. There is still a good chance of me wrecking something."

"Your hopeless, " Authion sighed. "But you clean up well. You look great."

Abby turned slightly pink. "Thanks," she mumbled. Her dress was forest green with silver trimmings and a scoop neck with slippers that matched. Her hair was curled and put up in a ponytail, moved slightly to the side.

The music stopped and everyone paused to clap politely. Abby spotted Rodwen, who was looking rather happy with Finwé.

"Your sister is having fun," she commented.

"It's about time she started looking for an elf. She's turning into an old maid," he said.

"Can you be nice for once?'

"Hey, I want nephews and nieces."

She laughed. "I'll pass on the message."

"Say, do you want to protect me from Aunt Larien and dance with me again? Last time I did, she went on about how the owls are spying on her secret recipies."

"Why is she that way?"

"I don't really know and I do not want to find out." Said Authion.

"Okay, I'd love to dance with you again."  
"Oh fine, if you insist," he said with 'great effort'.

"Wait, you asked-"

"Only fooling, Lady Abigail."

"Very well, Lord Authion."

She did a couple more dances with Authion, then with Haldir and she even met some other elves. Towards the end she found Rodwen with a swarm of children following her.

"Please Lady Rodwen, just one song?" a little girl tugged at her dress.

"Very well," she saw Abby. "Just in time for the concert I guess." She sat down on the chair while the kids sat on the ground. Abby stood against a tree as Rodwen began to sing.

_A Elbereth Gilthoniel,_

_silivren penna míriel_

_o menel aglar elenath!_

_Na-chared palan-díriel_

_o galadhremmin ennorath,_

_Fanuilos, le linnathon_

_nef aear, sí nef aearon!_

Abby was in awe. She had no idea her friend had such a beautiful voice. She should of known better, though. All elves were gifted with this talent of music.

The children had watched so silently that know some had become droopy, close to sleep. One by one they woke up and realized it was time to go home.

The last boy and girl to go both gave her kisses on the cheek.

"_Thank you,"_ the pair said in unison.

"_Your welcome, Ana and Anders."_

"I did not know you were a witch, for you certainly had them under a spell."

"It was not that good," Rodwen said quickly.

"Yes it was," Abby insisted. "Do you think…oh never mind."

"What?"

"Could you teach me? Singing lessons you know?"

"Abby, I don't know how to teach," Rodwen started, but then saw the look on her friends face. "Do you have an ear for music at all?'

Abby mimicked a couple lines from the song she sang.

"Not bad, " Rodwen shrugged. "I could help you I suppose." They began walking back to their houses. "I can't believe there's more you want to learn."

"Look at it this way," Abigail said. "When you hit the bottom, there's now where to go but up, right? Well, when you forget everything, there is never to much to learn."

Rodwen nodded. "Makes sense. Meet me by the stream after lunch, we can have some privacy there."

Abigail hugged her tight.

"_Thank you so much!"_

"Ah, so you do know some elvish," Rodwen said.

"There is never enough," Reminded Abigail.

"So," Abigail said to Haldir when she got back. "Did you meet someone new?"

"Well, I found out how much of a talker lady Larien is."

"Oh no, did you dance with her?"

"Yes, and you weren't there to bail me out," he mock scolded.

"Sorry," she said, thinking first about Authion, "I was already being 'forced' to have fun myself."

I hope I didn't speed through that too much, but I did give you a longer chapter still.

Sadly, my break is over and I'm back at school and I'm very tired due to eating way too much leftover turkey (Happy Late Thanksgiving y'all). The song was A Elbereth Githoniel and the translation is the following:

O Elbereth Star-kindler

(white) glittering slants down sparkling like jewels

from the firmament the glory of the star-host!

To-remote distance far-having gazed

from the tree-tangled middle-lands,

Fanuilos, to thee I will chant

on this side of ocean, here on this side of the Great Ocean!

Please review! Enjoy life! Thanks!

-MysticNight9


	13. The 2nd Coming & A New Mission

I'm very happy! They took the ban off Quizilla on the school's computers. Now I have something to do during study hall!

Inner Thoughts: How about you actually do your homework?

Me: Grr, silence!

Up, up and away to the story.

Disclaimer: Let me say it one more time. I don't own any part, place, language or person of Lord of the Rings. Except for Abby and a couple of random elves, but you get the point.

Chapter 12 Recap:

"So," Abigail said to Haldir when she got back. "Did you meet someone new?"

"Well, I found out how much of a talker lady Larien is."

"Oh no, did you dance with her?"

"Yes, and you weren't there to bail me out," he mock scolded.

"Sorry," she said, thinking first about Authion, "I was already being 'forced' to have fun myself."

Not a great recap again, but it's still a habit to put it in there.

_Images flashed by, but this time things were different. It was not some lunatic dream, but what looked actual events. She watched off to the side, as an old man lectured what seemed like a small dwarf._

"_Keep it secret. Keep it safe," was all he said. The same man was then riding on a horse, towards a large city by the mountains. She tried to think of her map studies, but couldn't name the place. The poor main looked distressed and tired. Back to the small man, this time he had company, they were hiding on the side of the rode. She watched them sit in fear, and then heard that horrible screech._

'_Nazgûl!' she shuddered._

_She couldn't help but notice the first small man. He fingered something almost possessively, while the one next to him was watching with much worry in his face._

_Then the scene changed entirely. She was in a small house, no a bar or inn of sorts. She was being drawn close to a figure in the corner, who was covered by a cloak. It was a man; mortal by the look of it She was flowing past all other beings, and was only focused on his secretive stature. But she could not see his face. All she saw before she woke was two hazel eyes, lit up by the flame of a pipe._

Abigail shuddered in person as she sat up in bed.

'He was as if he could see into me.'

She noticed now she was wringing he hands just like the short man, and was focused on her ring figure. She quickly stopped, for her hands were beginning to redden. Confusion raced through her head, which was nothing new after strange dreams such as this.

Someone gently knocked on her door.

"I'm awake," she called gently.

Haldir walked into the room.

"Haldir? It's the middle on the night."

"Lady Galadriel is calling."

"What does she asks of you?"

Haldir frowned. "Actually, she requests both of us to come see her. Immediately."

Abigail's eyes widened, and then just nodded her head.

"Let me just put some stockings and a cloak on. It's a bit chilly outside."

"Of course," he said.

Moments later, as both walked outside, they were greeted by Arphenon.

"I am here to be an escort," he said simply.

Haldir walked very fast, and very nervously.

"Do you know what's going on?"

"No. Which is what aggravates me. If it were just I, it would be only an emergency scout or something. But with you here…" he trailed off.

"Right," she said. Neither said anything until they reached Lady Galadriel's garden.

"I take my leave now," Arphenon said. "Good luck."

"You act as if we are going to a battle," Abigail said.

He offered a weak smile, but didn't reply.

'This can really not be good," she thought.

Haldir pushed open the gate, and Abigail walked in ahead of him. Both were surprised to see only the Lord and Lady. No guards, handmaidens or anything.

"Good morning, my Lord and my Lady. At least a think it is by the position of the moon," Haldir said, giving his usual deep bow. Abigail followed suit with a curtsey.

"Rise please," Lord Celeborn said. "I am going to get to the point. No use in dragging it out. Haldir, we need you to go on a mission. You leave in a few hours."

'Oh, it is just a mission." Abigail gave an internal sigh of relief.

"You are going to…retrieve something," Celeborn continued. He took a quick glance at Abigail. "I do not know if I should say anymore until we speak more privately."

"I understand," Haldir said.

"No, Captain, I'm not so sure you do," Galadriel said gently. "My dear, we need to give them a bit more than that," she said to Celeborn.

"You are going to the woods of Trollshaws. An old friend of yours is going to need your help. He has company that is gravely injured. You will need to take him to Rivendell."

"Trollshaws? That is no quick ride," he muttered, more to himself.

"That is why there is the urgency to leave," Celeborn said.

"Which "old friend" do you speak of?" Haldir asked.

There was a moment's pause until Galadriel spoke.

"Lord Aragorn."

"Aragorn? What is he doing? What company in Trollshaws?" Haldir was now very bewildered, as was Abigail. Haldir had, of course, talked about Lord Aragorn before, including his past (the whole rightful king story). But last he heard, or at least what he told her, was that he was taking the simple life of a ranger. Exploring/wandering Middle Earth, no longer doing any real missions or quests.

"He can decide to answer your questions in person," Lady Galadriel said. "There is more, when you get to Rivendell I want you to stay there for a while."

"May I ask why, my lady?"

She took a tired sigh. "I have foreseen that Lord Elrond will have a council. A council with all the races of Middle Earth."

"A council with all the people, that hasn't happened since-" Haldir gasped. "Not already, not now. It's too soon."

"Things have been put into motion, the past is awakening." Galadriel turned to Abigail.

"_You know which history I speak of_?" she spoke telepathically.

'Sauron? He would be an urgent and important subject,' she guessed.

Galadriel nodded, so she assumed it was the right guess.

Abigail finally spoke up.

"Haldir could have told me this later. If it's all right for me to ask…why am I here? Usually you wouldn't want a "silly girl" to know about this."

Galadriel gave an almost sly smile. "You are going to Rivendell as well. You are not going with Haldir to Trollshaws, of course. But you will be in Rivendell with him."

"Me? I get to go to Rivendell?" She struggled to contain her excitement. She was going to stay at the gorgeous elvish sanctuary! With Haldir nonetheless!

"No! With all due respect my Lady, if what you say is true. That IT has begun, it is now time for a child to be traveling all the way to Rivendell," Haldir argued.

"Haldir, please I'm 19. I can take care of myself."

(A/N-Yeah, this is about 3 years after the last chapter)

"I am sorry to say you have no choice in the matter," said Lord Celeborn.

"Why not?"

"She is to be a representative at the council," Galadriel whispered.

Abigail stopped celebrating. At Lord Elrond's councils, the fate of the world could be decided. Some of the most important events in history started there. She took back what she said. She was definitely too young. And above all, she was a woman.

"My Lady, as soon as I step in there, they will tear me apart. I will not be welcomed," Abigail said in a low voice.

"They can not touch you, as long as you have the blessing of the Lord and Lady of the wood," Galadriel said. She didn't feel much better, though.

"My Lord, you agree with this?" Abigail asked Celeborn cautiously.

He rubbed his temples.

"I know it is a rare predicament. And I am very wary about the fact you are a woman. But, I have also seen you fight, heal, work and study. You have a keen eye, sharp ear and a wise mouth. It will take some time to get use to, but I have faith in my wife's decision."

"That means a lot, my Lord," Abigail said.

Haldir wasn't going to give up.

"Are you sure it has to be her? I know she is smart for her age, and you are some of the few who realize her real power. But-"

"I am sorry it is hard for you to understand. But I know it is what is needed. I hope you can trust what I see.

"We do," they said together.

There was more silence, while the new information sunk in

"Abigail, go home. I wish to speak alone for a moment," Haldir said gently.

"Yes sir," and she left.

"I need to know, for her sake and for mine. Have the nine been released?" He almost didn't want to hear the answer.

"Yes," Celeborn replied. "That is the cause of you retrieval's injury. Since you saved a person with such a wound before, we need you to do it again."

Haldir seemed he was in pain. He had to let them send his little girl on a potentially dangerous path, and then she would still be in danger once they reached the city.

"Have faith," he whispered to himself. "Promise me you will keep her in safe company."

"I have come to care about your ward a lot, Captain." Galadriel said. She gave a chuckle. "If I were human I'm sure she and I would be very similar. I wish her no more harm than you would. She will be safe."

"Very well," Haldir said. "I'll go pack. At least I get to see Aragorn."

As he began to walk away slowly, he heard the lady say,"

"Thank you Haldir. You don't know how important this really is."

He walked into the house, to see Abigail making breakfast."

'I don't think she realizes how important she is to me,' he thought.

As they both sat down, Abigail asked,

"Haldir, I'm afraid I don't understand. I thought Sauron was killed in the last age. Why is he a threat again?"

"Because Sauron was never destroyed," he said sadly. "There was a piece of him left behind, which can be used as a portal to let him live again. We now see that his arm is able to reach very far again, and he has quite a vengeance."

"Why didn't we destroy this piece of him long ago?"

"There was one chance, and it was quickly. Don't you remember the one ring?"

"So, because Isildur was greedy, we must now pay?"

"Please to not be so harsh," he said quickly. "The same weakness is in all of us. But it can only be our choice to listen. There is a good chance any other man would of done the same."

He sighed. "Sauron had not forgotten how close we came, though. He is more angry than ever, and will not stop until it is finished."

"When will it be finished?" Abigail whispered.

Haldir stared at the wall. "When all that is good has perished."

(A/N – I bet you think this would be a good place to end? Well, since you have waited so long for a chapter, I have decided to continue. Ain't I nice?")

"Be careful," she whispered.

"I could say the same to you," he said.

"I will be alright, I had the best teacher in Lorien," Abigail said.

Haldir sighed. "It's hard for me to think you will ever be ready."

"I'm a big girl. I've this close to beating Authion in a sword fight."

He laughed. "I know, I've seen him sweat. You're getting quite deadly with those daggers."

"I'll be sure to pack them."

"You had better. Abigail…I may have taught you the history, but it is hard to explain the real danger this could mean. The terror people would face."

"I think I understand better than you think. I have faced such a terror and I don't think I could ever forget the feeling. I won't be reckless, I promise. Besides, I'm just going to Rivendell. I'll go to the council, and then you and I will go home. What could happen?"

(A/N Bwahaha, that's what she thinks!)

He grabbed he shoulders gently. "Abigail, if HE, truly is back, that means I will go to war and fight."

She paused. "Oh, I guess I forgot the part."

"Damn," he said, realizing what he had done. "I don't mean to make you upset. Just…take care, please."

"I will, I'm not going to leave you."

'I just hope you don't leave me,' she thought.

They gave one final hug. An orange glow flowed through the trees.

He smiled_. "Look, the sun rises with us."_

"_Let it be your guide and the moon your safety."_

"_Your elvish is getting quite good."_

"_Like I said. Even Elbereth couldn't be a better teacher_," she spoke truly.

Haldir mounted his horse, and took a fast, quiet trot out of the forest.

A Couple Days Later

"Remind me again why you are going to Imladris?" asked Rodwen.

"Because you're pregnant so you can't go," Abigail joked.

It turned out the Finwé wasn't just trying to be charming for a dance. He actually cared quite a lot for Rodwen. It only took a few months for them to proclaim an engagement.

"It's about time I had a nephew. Let's hope he gets my good looks," said Authion.

"It could be a niece, and by the Valar I hope it doesn't get your looks," Abigail said. Causing both her and Rodwen to have a fit of giggles.

"Come off it, Abby, you know you think I'm handsome."

She tried very, very hard not to blush. "You wish, Authion."

"Please, don't make me gag," Rodwen said. "And you are avoiding my question, again. You're getting good at that."

"Hadlir wants me to meet a friend of his there after he has finished the mission. Also, I've hardly been more than 50 feet out of the Lorien borders since I've been here. I need something new." She wasn't allowed to say they real reason she was going.

"Aren't we enough excitement for you?" Authion asked.

"Oh yes, like watching Rodwen try to teach you how to hold a baby is the most interesting thing in the world," she said in a sarcastic voice.

He put a mock 'I'm hurt' look on his face.

"I'm so jealous. It's been forever since I've been to Rivendell. But I know you'll love it," Rodwen said.

'Let's just hope egotistic men don't try to kill me,' Abby thought.

The trio stopped, and saw four escorts waiting for her.

"He acts like I'm going off to Mordor," she said, referring to Haldir.

"Well, that or he thinks your royalty," Authion offered.

"I guess I'm off then. I'll see you…I actually don't know when I'm coming back."

"I'm sure it won't be too long. Have fun!" Rodwen said hugging her. "But try to come back before the baby is born, alright?

"And why don't you try to bring back a piece of Lady Arwen's hair for me?"

"Authion!" they both yelled, smacking him on the head.

"What? You think I'm the only elf who hasn't noticed her beauty?"

Abby felt a strange twinge on her heartstrings.

'Jealousy? No, Authion is my friend." True, most would say they flirt all the time, but it was still friendly. That didn't change the fact that she really liked hugging him right now.

"Ah-hem!' Someone cleared a throat.

"Right," Abby said pulling away. "I'm going now."

She waved goodbye again as she rode her horse out of the woods with her company.

Rodwen couldn't help but notice Authion was staring.

"Don't get any ideas," she warned.

He snapped out of it. "What do you mean?"

" One: She's one of my best friends. Two: She's basically Haldir's daughter, and you know how protective he is of her. Three: She is a mortal. Not that is matters to me, but…"

"Feh. I don't know what you're talking about." He walked off with his hands in his pockets.

She sighed. "I should have seen it coming."

Abigail was smiling and frowning at the same time. She was excited to leave, but she kept thinking about her meeting with Galadriel the other day.

Flash Back 

"_We're back here again?" Abigail asked._

"_Since I am asking such a big favor out of you, I thought I'd grant you one," Galadriel said._

"_What if it doesn't work again?" she said, staring at the mirror._

"_Only trying will tell. But I won't lie, it would be very strange to deny you twice."_

_Like before, Abigail took cautious steps up to the bowl. _

_She didn't know what she was expecting. Dramatic music? Flashing lights? All she did know was that she had been standing there for three minutes, and all she saw as water._

_Galadriel wore a sympathetic and confused mouth. Why would the mirror refuse to answer this girls questions?_

_Abigail sighed, something she had been doing a lot lately._

"_I suppose I'm very strange, then."_

End Flash Back 

Abigail didn't know what to say to her companions. Did they know about her and her powers? Did they know why she was going to Rivendell? To be safe, she decided not to start a conversation. Instead, she did the simple thing, and hummed a song.

Let the sun roll through

The poor meadowland

Let the birds sing a soft tune

For the King's small band

Let the clouds float on to

And ocean of sky

Let the stars rise up

And brush heaven so high.

I'm so glad now that I finished this chapter. I really didn't know how I was going to get Abby to go to Rivendell. I know the timing might be a bit off, but I'm really not sure how long it would take to get from Lorien to Rivendell. Don't worry, this is still an Aragorn romance, and she will be getting her memory back. I decided to do add a bit more to Authion and Abby's relationship, because it will play a key, or at least a bigger part, later in the story.

Thanks to Reviewers:

Elven Stranger, ArwenEvenstar83, Samantha-Girl Scout, and LOTR Lover 24 and 7.

FYI: The song is part of a poem by me. Just kind of felt like putting a song in there. You might be sick of this whole "mortal being a fantastic singer" thing. But music is a big part of my life so I'm putting that in my story. Songs will also be put in just to set tones or feelings.

Please Review, thanks!

-MysticNight9


	14. Welcome to Rivendell

No time to waste today. I'm just gonna get to the point.

Disclaimer: Why not say it one more time? I DON'T OWN LORDS OF THE RINGS!

Chapter 13 Recap:

Okay, there were about 3 endings in the last chapter, so I can't really do a recap. If you've really forgotten, just go back and fast read.

Chapter 14:

Aragorn was in a little bit of a panic. He knew Frodo needed to get to Rivendell now, but he couldn't leave the other hobbits alone.

'First things, first. Let's find some athelas,' he thought.

He crouched low to the ground, trying to find the healing weed. He found a patch about 30 feet away from the campsite. He began to cut, but then he heard a snap of a twig. Fearing the worst, he quickly drew his sword at scanned the trees with his torch.

"_Peace Aragorn. I'm the last person who wants to bring you harm,"_ a male voice said in elvish.

Aragorn still didn't lower his sword. Now he even had to be wary about elves. "If you wish peace, show yourself now!"

A horse came out of the brush and a rider dismounted.

"Is that anyway to treat a friend?" he asked, removing the cloak.

"Haldir?" Aragorn said. "How did you…what?"

"There is no time to explain now," said Haldir. "Word is you have a Nazgûl wound that needs to go to Rivendell."

"Yes, of course. This way."

He led Haldir back to the camp. Sam being cautious drew his little sword.

"Who's he, Strider?" he demanded to Aragorn, or Strider in the hobbit's case.

Haldir raised an eyebrow. _"Strider?"_

"_Like you said, no time to explain now_." Aragorn turned back to Sam.

"He is here to help. He will take Frodo to Rivendell while I stay with you three."

"Are you crazy? Those black riders are still out there!" cried Merry.

"I am a swift rider, and the power of the elves will protect me," Haldir assured. "I would not stand to see your friend be more injured."

The hobbits said nothing; for they knew what the elves could do was great. But their eyes were still untrusting.

"Have faith, little halfings. I am sorry to come on such short notice, but we must leave now," Haldir said.

Aragorn went over to Frodo and picked him up. Frodo gave a moan.

"_He's fading fast. This is worse than I expected_," Haldir frowned.

"_I do not know how much you know, but he must live_," Aragorn stated urgently.

"_I understand_," the elf said. He put Frodo gently on his horse and then mounted himself. "Noro lim, Fenri, noro lim!"

With that Haldir was gone from Aragorn's sight within seconds.

"I hope you know what you're doing," muttered Pippin.

'So do I,' thought the ranger. 'So do I.'

Abigail's trip was un-eventful, to her relief. Later on, she did begin to talk to her companions, and found out a little bit about their family's, who they were and such. She stuck to her story, about how she was just meeting Haldir in Rivendell.

It was early morning when Darè said,

"Do you hear that? It's the river. We should be at Imladris within the day."

"That's good news," Abigail said. "Being the dainty lady I am, I could use a bath."

A few of them chuckled.

"Pardon me**, my lady**," he said sarcastically. "But when you were eating that stew the other night, you didn't look like any lady I've ever seen."

She laughed as well. "Can you blame me? Even a woman enjoys some nice rabbit after 3 days of lembas bread."

Darè's prediction was right, and they reached the entrance of Rivendell by mid-afternoon.

(A/N-Again, I'm not sure of the timing. Oh, and "Noro lim!" means ride fast.)

Abigail didn't hide her amazement of the city. A beautiful waterfall lay just to the east side, and surrounding the entire city was a lush forest. The city itself seemed to glitter in the sun.

"Rodwen was right. It's magnificent," she whispered.

A guard called out from the main gate.

"Please state your business."

"We have come for a personal visit. Tell me, do you know if Captain Haldir has arrived yet?" on of her men replied.

The elf thought for a moment.

"Ah yes, he came in a few days ago. Please, enter and enjoy the city."

"Thank you."

The five dismounted after they were inside a little ways, and had already earned a few interesting stares.

"I thank you all for accompanying me. Though especially now I think Haldir was a little over-protective," Abigail said, very aware of the judging looks from the elves.

"True, we are a strange entourage. But we enjoyed the trip and the company."

Abigail smiled. "I'm glad. Well, I'm off to find the captain."

She began to leave, but didn't make it to far.

"Lady Abigail?" someone asked.

"What?" she said, confused at someone knowing her name so soon.

"Forgive me for startling you. I assumed since you were the only mortal girl here you were the Abigail I was looking for."

"No, sorry, you just surprised me. What I meant to say is, yes I am Abigail."

"Oh, I see," the elf said. "My name is Erugell. I am supposed to take you to see Lord Elrond."

Abigail gulped. "Already? I only just arrived."

"If you please, miss. I think it's important."

"I bet it is," she muttered. "Lead the, Sir Erugell."

He nodded. Rivendell was very strange compared to Lorien. This was really a stone city, with cobbled streets and rock homes. She was used to the open freedom of the trees and the grass of the forest. Still, it was pretty.

Erugell stopped and pointed to two large, brown-oak doors. "My lord should be in there. Follow me, please."

He gave a knock on the massive door.

"Come in," A deep voice boomed.

"Lord Elrond, I present Lady Abigail from Lorien," Erugell introduced.

"It's an honor, my lord," Abigail curtsied.

"Thank you Erugell you may leave."

Abigail took a moment to study Elrond. He seemed to have that mysterious and handsome air like Lady Galadriel. But his face looked as powerful and serious as Lord Celeborn's. She couldn't decide if that was good or bad.

As soon as Erugell closed the door, the Lord said, "Take a seat."

She obeyed.

"I'm sorry to take you away so abruptly, before you even see Lord Haldir, but it is very important we get a few things straight."

"I assumed as much, my lord."

He took a breath. "While I am in no position to deny your entrance into the council, I won't lie and say I'm pleased with it. Never before has a young, mortal woman been allowed to such a sacred event."

'That's me, the triple threat,' she thought sarcastically.

(A/N: Okay, I'm not sure of that fact. But it seems logical that no woman would ever be allowed into a council. They aren't even allowed to fight, for goodness sakes.)

"But, I also trust Lady Galadriel, and know she has never been wrong with her visions or her intuition."

"That's what everyones excuse is," said Abigail.

Elrond gave a very small smile. "I hope you understand, it's nothing personal."

"Of course, my lord."

"A word of warning then," he continued. "Keep telling everyone you are only here for a visit. And when the day comes, try to hold your tongue and be respectful. While you may have a valued thought or a good point, there are men who would rather die than take the advice of a woman."

"I'll remember that."

"The council still won't be for a few days. For now, please enjoy the city. It is yours to explore."

"Thank you, Lord Elrond." She got up and curtsied again.

"I believe Lord Haldir is down by the stables, that's where he likes to go. He can show you to your room, for I believe you may want to wash up."

Abigail blushed deeply. She hadn't realized that she had been wearing a dirty, gray riding dress and muddy boots while talking to the ruler of Rivendell.

"Yes, sir."

She asked an elf where the stables were and he pointed her in a southwest direction. She found him polishing his saddle.

"Making your horse look pretty just for me?" she joked.

He stood up quickly. "Abigail!" He gave her a big hug. "Was the trip safe? Your not hurt or anything?"

"I'm perfectly fine Haldir. While the escort was a bit over-done, they were very kind."

"Good," he said. "And I was only being cautious."

"How did the mission go? Did you find Lord Aragorn?"

"Yes, and the hobbit is doing just fine."

"Hobbit?" she asked.

"Don't you remember me telling you about them? They're the little people from the shire, over in Eriador."

She nodded her head. "Vaguely I guess. What was wrong with him?"

He sighed. "Nazgûl cut.'

She paused. "Nazgûl? All the way out here?" She paled slightly.

"You are safe in the city, do not worry." Haldir said.

"It's not that, it's just…I guess this is a bigger deal than I thought." Realization hit.

"By the Valar, the council! I should of known, it's about the ring, isn't it?"

He shook his head yes.

"Is it…is it here?"

"It was the hobbit who had it."

She sat down on a stool. "Haldir, I can't be in this council. I am hardly up to date on this subject and in no position to make suggestions. I'll just make a fool of myself and the people of Loren!"

"Listen to me," he said. "You have a purpose for being here. You are a key element to that team, no matter what the reasons. You should be proud of yourself. You get to help decide on how to save the world."

"But no pressure, right?"

He laughed lightly. "Well, in all honesty. You could just go and not say anything at all if you are that nervous. Just listen to what they have to say, and then you can report in back to the Lord and Lady."

"Can't I just skip it? Can you come with me?" Abigail pleaded.

"No and no. Your presence is thus demanded, and I am not invited. I raised you to be strong. You're willing to fight and orc, but not have a friendly discussion?"

"I'm not sure how friendly it will be once I show up."

"Try not to worry so much. You still have a few days. For now, let's clean you up. _Come with me_," he urged her off the stool. "_You smell like a horse."_

"_You do too! How long have you been in these stables?"_

Later That Evening

Abigail was lost in the city maze. Haldir told her to meet her at some small dining room for dinner. He understood she probably didn't want to eat with strangers.

As she rounded into a corner, she bumped into someone.

"_Forgive me, I was looking_," she apologized quickly.

"_It's alright,_" the elf women helped her up. "_Your accent, your not from around here?_"

"It's my first visit," she said, switching to English.

"Oh, a mortal. You must be the girl from Lorien."

Abigail couldn't tell if she was disappointed or interested

"My names Abigail, please to meet you."

"My name is Arwen," she said.

Abigail went into a quick curtsey. "Sorry, my lady, I didn't recognize you."

"Oh please, don't bow or anything. You're a guest. Where are you headed?" she asked politely.

"Um, dining wing C, I think."  
"I'm going the same direction. I'll show you the way."

It only took a few minutes to get there. Abigail had walked right past it.

"Thank you very much, my lady. It would have taken me all night to find it with my senses."

"Please, just Arwen," she laughed. "How about I show you around the city tomorrow. I think I would like your company and you sound in sore need of some directions"

"That would be nice and helpful. Thanks."

"Don't worry, I'll find you," she said as she walked away. "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, Arwen." As she opened the door, she thought, 'No wonder elves love her. Looks and personality.'

"There you are! The food was getting cold!" Haldir said.

"Sorry, just got little lost," she said. "Let's eat."

With Arwen

"There you are! I thought you had forgotten about me," Aragorn said.

"Sorry, just helping a new friend," she said. "_And I could never forget about you._"

They came together for a small kiss. In the back of Aragorn's mind, though, he was itching to ask,

"What new friend?"

Yes, I'm glad I could put two chapters in this weekend. And we're finally too Rivendell! Council won't be until chapter 16, I think. But it could be next time, I'm not sure. Send me your thoughts, please!

Thanks to ArwenEvenstar83 for the really nice review. You sound a lot like me! (It's not too bad of a thing, I swear.)

Until next chapter,

-MN9


	15. New Friends, Old Friends and Hobbits

Countdown: 3 days until winter break, about 12 days until Christmas. Yeehaw!

Disclaimer: Thy shall heareth my lack of claim for another day. I hath and never shall own a parteth of Lords of the Rings.

Me: How do you like my old-English speak.

Inner Self: It's lame. Why I am cursed to this body?

Me: Would you rather be in **whisper, whisper's** body?

Inner Self: No! Not that!

Me: I didn't think so. Okay, moving on.

Chapter 14 Recap:

"There you are! The food was getting cold!" Haldir said.

"Sorry, just got little lost," she said. "Let's eat."

With Arwen

"There you are! I thought you had forgotten about me," Aragorn said.

"Sorry, just helping a new friend," she said. "_And I could never forget about you._"

They came together for a small kiss. In the back of Aragorn's mind, though, he was itching to ask,

"What new friend?"

Chapter 15:

When Abigail woke up the next morning, she was about to scream because she found herself in a different room. Luckily for Haldir in the next room, she remembered where she was in a few seconds.

"Oh, that's right. Rivendell, council, ring. "

She found a casual pale-blue dress with brown stitching. While she was brushing her hair, Haldir came in.

"Good, your awake," he said.

"Mm-hmm," she mumbled, holding a pin in her mouth. "But I've already eaten. Someone sent me a tray." She pointed to a half-eaten breakfast plate in the corner.

"I got one as well. Maybe they caught on that you aren't quite the socialite."

"I social enough," she objected. "At least I can carry on a decent conversation."

"Oh, and I cannot?" he countered.

"If you like debating about the use of oak arrows versus birch arrows, you're excellent!" she joked.

"Fine then, be that way," he just rolled his eyes. "Speaking of socializing, I hear you have plans with Lady Arwen."

"Yes, actually. I literally bumped into her before dinner."

"That works," he thought. "I have been wanting to have a talk with Elrond myself. Maybe Aragorn as well."

"He's here? Well, I should go meet this amazing Aragorn you speak so highly of," she pondered.

"You will," Haldir assured. "He's going to be at the council."

"Being the rightful ruler of a kingdom, I'm not surprised," Abigail said.

"What will be interesting is that the Steward of Gondor's son is coming, Lord Boromir."

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow. "I wonder how he will take that. Who else is coming?"

"Names you'll recognize? Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, Lord Gimli of the mines, Gandalf the gray and the ring-bearer, Frodo."

"All the races will be represented," Abigail said quietly.

Interrupting their conversation was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Abigail said.

Long, dark hair poked around the door.

"Abigail?'

"Arwen! Please come in," she said in a hurry.

Arwen stepped in all the way.

"Oh, hello Captain Haldir. How are you?"

"Fine, my lady, thank you."

"How is my grandmother?"

Haldir smile. "My lady Galadriel still speaks in mysterious words."

"I would be more worried if she made sense," Arwen laughed.

Another elf with a musical laugh, Abigail noticed.

"I will let you two Lady's enjoy the day now," he said while moving towards the door.

"Goodbye!" both girls chorused.

Abigail stood up, now satisfied with her "messy bun" hair.

"So, my lady, where will the tour start?"

"I thought we could start at the far end on the city, with the waterfall, and then move are way over," Arwen explained.

"Seems like a reasonable plan, lead the way!"

They basically talked the entire time. Abigail's second cover-up story is that her parents had died while traveling past Lorien with her when she was a child. Having no other family to stay with, and since her parents knew a few elves in Lorien; she had just stayed there. It was an odd excuse, but slightly possible (Arwen seemed to believe her in any case.)

(A/N-Seems kind of weird I would make Abigail and Arwen so chummy, considering that Abby's going to 'steal her man' or whatever. I think Arwen is a very nice character, though, and it makes sense she would help the newcomer. Sorry if you feel otherwise. Anyway, we're going to totally switch the POV now.)

With Haldir

Even thought Haldir knew he couldn't change Lord Elrond's decision, he still tried anyway. He got the same speech Abigail was given. No one could disregard what Lady Galadriel requested.

As much as he loved Abigail and admired the strength she had, he couldn't help but think that was a bit much for her. He couldn't imagine her just going in there and playing messenger. Something was going to happen. Call it an elvish 6th sense.

Currently, though, he was going to meet Aragorn in the library. Haldir found him at a small, quiet table reading a book of maps.

"Planning another adventure?" Haldir asked.

Aragorn looked up. "I certainly didn't plan the one I'm on now." He put the book now. "I never got to thank you for saving Frodo."

"My pleasure. Seeing you and taking a trip to Rivendell are just bonuses."

Aragorn smiled. "This is going to be an interesting council," he said.

Haldir snorted quietly. 'You have no idea,' he thought.

"Why the stay, though? I thought you would have rushed back to the wood in a second. I know you don't like to stay away from your post." Aragorn said.

"I'm watching over…a friend who's visiting here as well." Haldir didn't feel like explain that this friend had actually been living with him for the past seven years.

"The mortal girl? There has already been whispers throughout the city about a stranger from Lorien."

Haldir nodded. "She's with Lady Arwen now."

"Ah, so that's the 'new friend' she was talking about last night."

There was silence for a second. Haldir was waiting for him to ask why Abigail was from Lorien and why she was here. When Aragorn continued to say nothing, Haldir said,

"You're the first person not to bombard me with questions about Abigail."

"I'm assuming you mean the girl?"

Nod.

"If you are comfortable with telling me, you can. Otherwise, I'll just let it be."

"Not much of a story, really," Haldir said, hoping to put him at ease just in case. "Her parents died, and the golden wood was the best place to live. Then, not too long ago, Lady Galadriel thought it was time she got out of Lorien. She believed it would be wise to send her to Elrond for advice."

Aragorn nodded, and they both walked to the outside balcony.

Haldir didn't like lying to Aragorn. He trusted the ranger with his life. But he feared Abigail's purpose could even be a bit sensitive to him, so he went along with the lie (for now).

"Is she being married? Is that the real reason she's leaving Lorien?" Aragorn asked.

Haldir nearly choked on his spit. If anyone so much laid a hand on Abigail…

(A/n- How cute, the father figure is so protective)

"Umm, no," Haldir said, ending his (slightly murderous) thoughts. "She hasn't seen a mortal man for, well, seven years now." This fact kind of hit him by surprise. But she would see her first man in 7 years at the council.

"And," he continued. "Not many people do the matching of elves with human. Save for you and Arwen, of course. How are you two doing, by the way?"

Aragorn sighed. "I sometimes think it would much easier to end it. So many people don't approve, and if I continue to follow Frodo there is a high chance of me dying-"

"Don't talk like that. I do not think either of us will die soon."

Aragorn noticed the time and said, "Though, if I don't go meet Arwen now, she might kill me for being late again."

"Is great Lord Aragorn afraid of a woman's fury?" Haldir jested.

"I would rather face 10 orcs than see her angry face," Aragorn laughed back.

The two friends parted, and Haldir walked back to his room.

The Next Day

Abigail and Haldir went for a small ride around the woods. Abigail was as nervous as a tick, for the council was the day after tomorrow. Haldir decided to give her some calming, alone time, so he left early while she continued to ride Sagitta around the barracks for a while.

When she had been alone for about 10 minutes, she saw she had two tiny spectators. Shortly after she asked them,

"Would you like a ride?"

She thought she heard them laugh. "I don't think we would fit in the saddle, my lady."

There voices were deep, like grown men. If they were grown, why would they not fit in the saddle?

She urged Sagitta towards the fence, when she realized the problem.

"Let's see, what has the face of a man, but the height of a child?" she half asked herself.

The two looked a tad confused.

"I believe a hobbit is the word I'm looking for?"

The blonder one smiled. "So you've heard of our kind, my lady?"

"Indeed, little sir," she replied. "No formalities, please. My name is Abigail."

The one with brown hair spoke this time. "My name's Pippin and my shorter friend over here is Merry."

"Hold on there, Pip," Merry interjected. "All the Shire knows I'm the tall one." He turned to Abigail.

"He sometimes gets the illusion he's bigger, because his hair gets so fluffy in the hot air."

"Hey!" shouted Pippin. "Your hair gets just as bad!"

Abigail gave a low chuckle (at least low for a girl).

'They're like a pair of mini Authion's!' she thought.

The hobbits stop arguing long enough to hear their stomachs growling.

"Well!" Abby exclaimed. "I dare say you lads are in need of some lunch. What do you say?"

"I say you are my kind of woman!" said Pippin.

"Please, Pippin, your already married to your stomach." Merry rolled his eyes.

Abigail put Sagitta back in the stables and led them to the kitchen where the cooks gave them some food.

They are and talk for the next hour or so, mostly about each other's homes. She wanted to know everything about the Shire and they couldn't hear enough about Lorien. All three were very good at avoiding the real reasons they were here.

But Abigail already knew why they were in Rivendell.

After one final laugh, Merry decided,

"We should go find Sam. He probably thinks we've blown something up by now."

"Last time we blew something up it was you fault, Merry."

"Not again, Pip. It was your fault for not sticking the firework in the ground!"

(A/N- Yes, fond memories of Bilbo's party!)

Abigail cleared her throat. "I'll just see you two around then."

"Sure thing, Abigail! Bye!" they said together. Then they began to argue. Again.

"Goodbye," she called softly.

She gave a small yawn, and decided this would be a good time for a nap. On the way back to the room, she was trying to figure out where she had seen them before.

She knocked on Haldir's door, but opened it to find he wasn't there. She wrote a note for him, saying she would be next door.

When she went back to her own room, she curled up in a chair, rather than the bed. Just before she closed her eyes she remembered where she had seen them.

"Four hobbits were hiding on the side of the road. Merry and Pippin were in my dream!" she said to herself.

(A/N- See the beginning of chapter 13, if you need a recap of this particular dream. Abby's had a lot of them, I know, and she's gonna get more.)

This just made her think harder.

'Did I see something that actually happened? How could I? I don't get visions. There's now way I could of even guessed-"

She was so tired; she didn't even finish her train of thought. She just let the sun from the window warm her face as she fell asleep.

Slightly random way to end a chapter, but I needed to stop it somehow. I should but some cliffies back in the story. Help put you guys on the edge. I'm sorry if all of these lies/secrets confuse you. I just can't imagine Abby yelling,

"I'm here for Lord Elrond's council and I'm proud of it!"

You know what I mean?

Anyway, thanks to the following reviewers:

CelticRoseOfTheLake: I'm happy to see you're so happy.

ArwenEvenstar83: Thanks for the long review. I'm glad you liked the new "flight to ford" approach. I just wanted a more interesting way to get Haldir to Rivendell.

Samantha-Girl Scout: I hope adding the little bit with the Hobbits makes you happy. Good idea, thanks!

40's a good, round number of review. But let's see if you can make it 50 within the next week. I officially challenge you. Don't be chicken!

Merci, and enjoy reading.

-MysticNight9

(For those who don't know, Merci means thanks in French. Jeez, must I explain everything?)


	16. The Council & Surprising Decisions

Yes, 2 blissful weeks of no school! If only I didn't have a 9-page paper due the day I come back. Sometimes being a freshman really stinks.

Hey, you all just learned a valuable fact about my life! Well, not really valuable, but an insight to me nonetheless (that is weird looking word). Okay, enough rambling.

Disclaimer: My brain cannot think of a clever pun at this time. I don't own Lord of the Rings, plain and simple truth. Of course, my lawyers always seem to miss that part.

Chapter 15 Recap:

"Four hobbits were hiding on the side of the road. Merry and Pippin were in my dream!" she said to herself.

(A/N- See the beginning of chapter 13, if you need a recap of this particular dream. Abby's had a lot of them, I know, and she's gonna get more.)

This just made her think harder.

'Did I see something that actually happened? How could I? I don't get visions. There's now way I could of even guessed-"

She was so tired; she didn't even finish her train of thought. She just let the sun from the window warm her face as she fell asleep.

Chapter 16:

It was the night before the council, so of course Abigail couldn't sleep. It must have been at least midnight, but she couldn't stay in her room, she was going insane! She decided to take a walk. She threw on a vest and a cloak over her white and gray nightgown, making it look like a suitable outfit to go out in public with. Not like she thought many people would be up anyway.

She opened the door, and walked out as quietly as possibly. This is something Haldir would really not want her doing. When she was a safe distance, she began to walk normally, and thought about where she should go.

She remembered Arwen had showed her a nice courtyard with many murals.

'Sounds like as good a place as any,' she thought. She casually glanced at the sky, and gasped. Abigail could see almost every star there was to see. Far to the east, she saw Earendil, on of the most glowing stars.

'That's where Lorien is. I must be farther away than I think.'

She kept walking and staring at the same time. When she reached a covered area, she began to pay attention again,

"Lucky I didn't run into anyway," she murmured. She had made it to the entrance of the courtyard, when she heard voices talking. She had been taught good listening skills, and was able to make out their soft voices.

"The shards of Narsil! The blade that cut the ring from Sauron's hand!" one man said. She heard the same one give a tiny gasp. "It's still sharp." Then there was silence for a moment. Again the voice spoke,

"But no more than a broken heirloom!"

There was a small crash, which sounded like a sword. Then she heard footstep coming her way. She quickly wedged herself in a corner, not wanting to be discovered eavesdropping. Thankfully, the man paid no attention to her and strode past.

He was not an elf, she noticed, and he wore the symbol of a pale tree on his vest.

"A man from Gondor. Could it be the stewards son?"

She was about to leave, but stopped when she heard Arwen's voice.

"Why do you fear the past? You are Isildur's heir, not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate."

A different man spoke now.

"The same blood flows in my veins. Same weakness."

Your time will come," she said. "You will face the same evil, and you will defeat it. "A si i-Dhúath ú-orthor. Ú or le a ú or nin."

Abigail was surprised at the tone of Arwen's voice. It was…loving. Feeling she had overstayed her welcome, she silently slipped away.

Aragorn's POV

He was about to walk away with Arwen, when he noticed the sound of footsteps. While they were moving away, they had started right around the corner. He furrowed his brow slightly. He didn't like people listening in when not invited (who does?). Not wanting to bother Arwen, he kept silent. But then he thought he saw a streak of white nightgown running through the streets and he could have sworn their eyes had met for a moment.

Back to Abby

She cursed herself for looking back. She thought for sure he had seen her, but she was glad when no protests came. She slowed her pace, and went more calmly back to her room. While no she had questions about the two men, she had relaxed a bit on the subject of her council. When she finally made it back to her room, she fell asleep within minutes.

(A/N-Just thought I'd put the translation of the elvish, it case you don't remember. The Shadow does not hold sway yet, not over you and not over me.)

Haldir woke her up early, which she was not happy about considering her late night escapades she just had.

"Today is the big day, dear, I though you would like some prepare time," he explained.

"I suppose, " she yawned. "When is the council?"

"11:00, and it's 8:30 now."

"Well, let's find some food first. I can't look pretty on an empty stomach."

After a light breakfast, for Abigail feared she wouldn't be able to hold it, she went back to her room to change. She tried to refuse the handmaiden's that were there to dress her.

"I'm perfectly capable of putting on a dress!" she yelled.

Haldir insisted, though, so she reluctantly let one stay with her.

"My name is Gwenneth," she introduced. "But you can call me Gwen, my lady."

'A nickname, that's different for a formal elf,' she thought.

"Okay Gwen, but then you must call me Abby, deal?"

"Deal," the elf said. "Oh I just love dressing you mortals, because you always start out such a mess!"

'Gee, thanks,' Abby thought. But she knew Gwen didn't mean any harm by it, and it was partially true.

"Let's see," Gwen walked circled her. "Your skin is pale, even though you spend all the time outdoors. Better put you in a darker color." Gwen smiled. "I see you still get those cute freckles, though."

Abby blushed.

"A blush too! This is perfect," she exclaimed. "I definitely must put you in red! At first I was thinking blue, because of your eyes, but red will bring out that rosiness and your hair. Now let's see, what type of cut-"

Gwen began to go through Abby's closet like a maniac, and she tried her best to not laugh. Soon Gwen found was she was looking for, and put it on Abby. Then she forced her into a chair sitting in front of a mirror.

"What should I do with your hair? A coil bun would be great look for a mortal woman." She messed around with Abby's hair for a second and then stopped.

"Although, you are representing an elvish city. Maybe we should go with plaits or braids. Yes, I think and elvish style would be better."

She undid what she had done, and started something new.

A while later Haldir came in the room.

"Another dark dress? I'm beginning to think you're depressed," he teased.

"Nonsense, my lord, it brings out her features nicely. Abby stop, fiddling with your hair!" Gwen scolded.

Abby nodded, "Yes ma'am."

She smiled. "You look lovely dear. You'll be the bell of the bale. Good luck!" She then went out the door with a swish of her skirt.

"Thank goodness you let me send the rest away, I could hardly handle her!" Abigail said.

"Well, Gwenneth is one of the best in the city. Thought I stand by what I said, I would love to see you in brighter color's," he said.

"The sky is the only thing that is bright today, for my mind certainly isn't."

"Just relax, and show no fear!" he encouraged.

"Right, no fear," she said. "What's the time now?" she asked.

"I believe it's around 10:30."

"If I leave now, I'll get there early. Which might be a good thing. Besides, I usually get lost anyway."

He chuckled. "I swear child, you would lose your head if it wasn't attached."

"I've lost my head many times, Haldir, often to the clouds," she grinned.

"Try to stay on earth for the time being, alright?" He kissed the top of her head gently.

"Are you sure you can't come with me?" she pleaded once more.

"I'm positive. You will be wonderful, now go!" he pushed her out the door.

She reached the council circle in almost 10 minutes. She found a few very intimidating people were already there, mainly elves.

"I hope Haldir sends flowers to my funeral," she gulped nervously.

When she came closer, she saw Lord Elrond was sitting alone. She decided he would be the safest person to talk to.

He noticed her. "Ah, Lady Abigail. You will be sitting and the end, just over there," he pointed.

"Away from all the people, thanks," she said.

"Would you rather leave now?" he asked, really getting to the point.

Abigail stared at him for a moment. Was he giving permission? Is it that easy?

"Actually no," she said, shocking herself at what she had just said.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why the change of heart?"

"Lorien has given me so much, if this is what they truly ask of me, it is my duty to do it. I am supposed to have faith. In dangerous times there is no room for doubt, correct?"

"Correct," he smiled. "There is more to you than meets the eye, Abigail. You'll surprise us all in the end."

"Um, thank you, my lord."

She was still nervous, but she knew what she was doing was right. Haldir believed in her and it was what Galadriel was expecting of her. She needed to listen to her elders, be respectful and have faith.

Slowly, more people began to file in and fill the circle of seats.

Frodo's POV, sort of

Frodo was walking in close besides Gandalf, with one hand protectively over the ring."

"Don't worry so much Frodo. You are part of the reason this council is happening, they aren't going to bite you," the wizard said.

"Was that suppose to make me feel better, Gandalf?"

"Ho, hum, hum," was all the old man mumbled.

When they arrived at the council, Frodo studied the array of elves, men and dwarves. Only two elements seemed out of place: him, and a woman that was talking with Lord Elrond.

"Gandalf, is that another one of Elrond's daughters?"

"No, Frodo. He has but one daughter and that is Arwen.'

As the bells chimed 11:00, everyone began to take their seats. He was surprised to find that the woman sat down on his right, at the very end of the row. He noticed she was not looking up, but staring intently at he dress.

Abigail's POV

She looked out of the corner of her eye who she was sitting next to. It was a simple hobbit, but she could feel an evil coming off of him. A very tempting power that was radiating around him

'He must be the Halfling with the ring,' she thought.

She was about to talk, when Elrond cleared his throat.

General POV

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of-"

"Excuse me, my Lord, I do hate to interrupt but I believe someone does not belong here," a man said, staring accusingly.

Abigail recognized him as the man from last night.

"Lord Boromir, I presume," she muttered.

Frodo had heard, though, and took a quick glance at her. She did not look very happy.

"If you please, steward's son, she is a representative from Lorien." Elrond spoke the last part more loudly. "Lady Abigail is welcomed to stay and listen. The only one who can undo this decision is the Lady Galadriel, and she isn't here right now," he announced.

Aragorn looked up sharply.

'Abigail? The mortal girl? Haldir said she was only here for a-well I guess he was lying. Why couldn't he tell me the truth, I thought we had trust?' He made a mental note to confront him later. Now, he took a good look at Abigail.

She was wearing a deep red dress with a gold hem. It had a high collar that wrapped around he necks and a loose bottom that scraped the floor. Her hair had two small braids on either side that were tied to the back. She looked very elvish and very pretty.

He quickly disregarded that last thought.

'Get a hold of yourself Aragorn, you're at a council not a party.'

Anyway, everyone seemed to get madder at Lord Elrond's last statement.

"This is an insult and outrage! She can't represent any part of the elvish race! She's a human!" an elf from Mirkwood said (not Legolas).

"She's unfit and inferior to be part of this discussion!" a man cried.

"This is a man's council!" shouted a dwarf.

"Really, a man's council? And here I thought we were all just people trying to stop a horrible enemy from killing the earth!" Abigail snapped. She immediately paled afterwards,

'Try to be respectful, try not to get punched,' she kept telling herself.

It looked like there was about to be another outrage, so Elrond quickly interfered.

"Enough! Hold your tongues and insults, all of you! We all do have a common interest, and that's to help save our future," he bellowed.

"It does not matter how or why, but Lady Abigail is here now and she will stay. Nothing can be done! I pray to the Valar that you can be civilized and treat everyone, including her, like a rightful council member."

The angry vibe still lingered in the air, but Elrond had got them to shut up for the moment.

"As I was saying, you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bounds to this fate, this one doom. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo.

In silent awe, the room watched the Hobbit place a small gold object on the pedestal.

Whispers were heard all over as Frodo sat down in his chair. Gandalf put a hand gently on his shoulder.

"It is true."

"It still exists."

"The doom of man."

Boromir was the first to speak up. "Why not see the ring as a gift, use it to our will?" He stood up. "Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor behind their gate. By our soldier's blood are you kept safe! Give the weapon to Gondor, let us use it against Him!"

"You cannot wield it! None of us are able. The one rings answers only to Sauron, it will be kept by no one else or listen to another master."

(A/N-I'm using a mix of movie script and my own words.)

Abigail did not know the man's face, but she knew his voice. It was the other from the courtyard, the one with Arwen. She thought she was mistaken, thought, because Arwen never mentioned a man, nonetheless one she was romantically involved with.

Boromir turned harsh again. "What would a ranger know of this matter?"

An elf stood up, and spoke with a threatening tone,

"This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn!"

"Aragorn?" Boromir asked with disbelief. "This is Isildur's heir?'

"Which means he is the heir to the throne of Gondor."

Abigail noted the surprised look on Frodo face, but she was sure she had the same one. She knew Aragorn was going to be at the council, but after hearing so many things about him, it was kind of strange to actually see him.

Aragorn caught her staring, and she quickly looked the other way. He turned his attention back to the elf.

"Havo dad, Legolas."

Abigail turned her attention to the elf too.

"Legolas, the prince of Mirkwood. I should of known by the blonde hair and clothes," she mused.

"Gondor needs no king," Boromir sneered, and then sat back down.

"Aragorn is right. It is impossible and too dangerous to use," agreed Gandalf.

"Then you leave yourselves with one choice. The Ring must be destroyed, but this cannot be done with any weapon we here posses. The ring can only be unmade by the fiery chasm of Mount Doom, in Mordor. It must be taken deep into the black land and be destroyed in the cavern from whence it came."

The crowd was silenced again.

"One of you must do this," Lord Elrond finished.

Abigail swore she heard the ring whisper, "Ash Nazg".

"One does not simply walk into Mordor. There are creatures that lie there that we have yet to see or hear of. And the great Eye is ever watchful. The land is so barren, and that even the air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with 10,000 men could you do this. It is folly," he said, almost regretfully.

"Have you heard nothing? The ring must be destroyed!" Legolas shouted.

"Oh, and I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" a dwarf accused.

"Lord Gimli," Elrond warned, but Gimli paid no heed.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!"

All of the elves rose to their defense, and the dwarves rose to counter.

"And what if we fail? What happen when Sauron takes back what is his?"

Aragorn took a stride towards Boromir. Gandalf walked towards them and said,

"Do you not understand that while we bicker, Sauron's power grows?"

'Good news, no one is insulting me anymore, bad news, they're fighting each other,' Abigail thought grimly.

She looked toward the ring, and saw what looked like an eye of fire in its band.

'It wants this. The ring enjoys the chaos,' she thought.

"Men!" she muttered and shook her head.

Frodo, the only other quiet being, looked up at her and this time she looked back.

"What can one say, to silence the ignorant tones of men?" she mused to him.

"I know one thing that would work," Frodo answered. "But if I say it there's no turning back."

"No one can turn back, Frodo," she said with kindness. "To live a life you can only move forward with your friends keeping you on the right path."

Frodo thought of Sam and looked into her eyes.

She gave a small smile and nodded.

He did not know why, but that was all the encouragement he needed.

"I will take it! I will take it!" he yelled.

Soon, all the men ceased fighting to listen to the hobbit.

"That certainly worked," Abigail muttered.

"I will take the Ring to Mordor," he went on. "Though…I do not know the way."

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," Gandalf said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"If by my life or death, I can protect you, will," Aragorn followed. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," said Legolas.

"And my axe!" Gimli said.

Boromir approached, slightly cautious. "You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

Abigail watched these four gather around Frodo. She was moved by their bravery and loyalty. She wanted the same feeling of righteousness.

'There's no way I'm missing out on this,' she thought, sort of naively.

"I will join you as well," she spoke quickly, trying to 'outrun' the protesters. "I know you all doubt it, but I can fight among many other skills. I will not be a burden. I can prove my determination and trust, like any one of you men could," she said, with slight emphasis 'men'. She crouched down to look at Frodo, face to face. "I give you my oath."

She saw at least a dozen faces ready to protest, when a well-timed interruption came.

"Hey! Mister Frodo is not goin' anywhere without me," Sam came out of the bushed.

Abigail then saw Merry and Pippin come out from behind the pillars.

"Wait, we're coming too!"

Elrond sighed. "It's hardly possible to separate you hobbits, even when only one is summoned to a secret council."

"That's right! You'd have to tie us in a sack to send us home!" Merry said.

"Anyway you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest…thing."

The two took a place in front of Abigail.

"That rules you out Pippin," she whispered. Both boys glanced back and gave her a quick smile.

(A/N: Those are the best lines in the whole movie!)

"Nine-"

"Ah-hem!" Abigail said loudly.

Elrond glared, but changed his speech. "Fine, ten companions. So be it! You shall be the fellowship of the Ring!"

After that, everyone pretty much took it as their cue to leave.

As Abigail was about to leave, or 'get away from this terrifying experience as soon as possible, she heard Pippin whisper,

"Where are we going to?"

She smiled, but then she heard,

"Lady Abigail, if you will please stay."

She stopped in her tracks and cringed. Even thought he said please, it was most definitely a command.

'Crap, so close and yet so far. Elbereth, help me!'

Bum, bum, bum! A turning point and a cliffhanger (don't you hate me?). I hope I did the scene some justice; it doesn't seem nearly as dramatic as it should be on paper. Well, I'll get this posted and see what you think.

Speaking of your thoughts, thanks to reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83: Yeah, what I meant to say was that it's to bad the Haldir stole the spotlight, not her. Again, thanks for the good reviews.

midnight-flurry: I'm getting a lot of 'poor Glorfindel's'. True, his moment has been taken twice thanks to creative license, but he will always be in our memories.

fanforlife: I'm so happy to have a new fan. Thanks for your nice comment and I hope you keep reading!

My English teacher would be disappointed. I just spent hours writing this when I could have been doing my paper. Oh well, this was more fun. I'm going to continue editing, and don't forget I'm keeping you posted on how I'm doing on my profile.

Until we meet again!

-MysticNight9


	17. Convincing Them I'm right!

Phew, finally finished all my shopping needs. The mall is very, very scary this time of year my friends. Though that's kind of stating the obvious.

Disclaimer: Here is my gift to the lawyers. I don't own Lord of the Rings, so you don't have to waste your time sue-ing me. Isn't that great news!

Chapter 16 Recap:

Hmm, I don't think one is really necessary. The only thing you need to know is that she volunteered for the fellowship. Remember now? I'm actually just going to start this one with the last couple sentences.

Oh, and a reminder. Italics mean elvish or a dream. You should be able to tell by context. I don't use elvish that much, but it can change the feeling of certain scenes if you imagine it in elvish or something.

Chapter 17:

"Lady Abigail, if you will please stay," she heard Lord Elrond's voice say.

She stopped in her tracks and cringed. Even though he said please, it was most definitely a command.

'Crap, so close and yet so far. Elbereth, help me!'

Gandalf must of saw her cringe, because he whispered to her,

"Maybe it was not a good idea to join this quest if you can't even handle an angry Lord."

She could tell he was joking, and responded,

"Well, it's no worse than an angry wizard according to your Hobbit friends," she gestured toward Merry and Pippin.

"If there are referring to the firework incident, they had it coming."

She smiled. "Indeed."

"Abigail?" Elrond insisted again.

"Excuse me, I should go," she said.

"I would like to talk to you again, my dear," Gandalf said.

"Sure…of course," she said, as she continued to walk away.

He watched her for a moment as she left, then turned to catch up with Frodo.

"What has Galadriel sent us this time?" he mused.

As soon as Abigail walked up to Lord Elrond, she got a good look as his face and decided it would be better if she sat down. It seemed like he had a lot to say.

"What, in seven hells do you think your doing?" he asked.

"Well, my lord, it seemed reasonable at the time."  
"Reasonable?" he looked shocked. "Abigail, I had to yell at them to stop them from harassing you for just BEING at a council. How do think it is going to be when you are will be judged and tested everyday while traveling?" You are going to have to hide your identity in every city as to not make uproar!

"With all due respect my Lord. At this council today the point was to have every race represented. Think of me as representing the race of women. They are part of this world too!" she countered.

"Abigail, women do not fight, they do not go to war councils, and most haven't ever touched a sword in there life. You do not represent women by being in this fellowship."

"Women are stronger than you give them credit for! Most have the power to make a difference; they just don't get a chance. They make life and can give life a purpose itself. I've have been trained like a soldier, let me act like on!"

Both were breathing heavily now, since they had been shouting. It wouldn't be surprising if half of Rivendell had heard their disagreement.

"Any man can be trained for battle, but that doesn't meant he has the will for one. Can you really say you will stand your ground when you have wargs coming at you?" Elrond said.

"I have been waiting to do my part in this world. It honestly seems fair for me to fight. And I do have a bit of an upper hand."

He raise and eyebrow carefully. "What do you mean?"

She decided the best way to prove herself, at least to him, was to show him what kind of power she really had.

"Watch the chair over there."

His eyes followed to where she pointed. He watched the chair rise slowly into the air, move side to side, then come down gently.

He was astonished. The chair was made of stone!

"This is a gift I've had for a few years now, and it's developed greatly. I would not be surprised if I could crush an orcs heart in an instant." She said quietly.

"How many people know?"

"Only three others. Lord Celeborn, Lady Galadriel and Haldir."

He sighed. "And I would keep it that way. While elves like Prince Legolas, and a few other like Gandalf might understand this. It would only make much confusion and suspicion with the hobbits and the mortals."

"What about Lord Aragorn. He has seen many elvish gifts similar to mine."

"As understanding as he is, he must be careful with his trust because of his past. He also believes that a women's place is not on a battle field." Elrond looked her in the eye. "Again, I'm in no place to stop you, but I only try to make you see what you are getting into. You do not wish to be a burden, but being a woman already makes things very difficult for them."

"I only want to help," she pleaded. "It's not like I have a lot to lose in this world."

'No real family, no real home, no real history," she thought to herself.

"A certain captain might disagree," he said.

"Oh shit! I mean-uh-oh darn!" She had completely forgotten about Haldir. He was going to be so, so angry with her. Especially without his consent, since he was still technically her guardian.

"That's what I thought, though someone had probably already told him."

"Sorry, Lord Elrond, I have to go." She began to run away. "Great council. We must do it again sometime!"

Elrond smiled, in spite of himself. "I must admit, she could help lighten the atmosphere at certain points."

As soon as the council was down, Aragorn left to find Haldir. He needed to have another chat with his friend

When he found the captain's room, he just went straight in.

"Sure, just come in, no need to knock," the elf said. He looked up and then realized it was Aragorn.

"That was a short council," he commented.

"She's just visited?" Aragorn asked icily.

Haldir scratched his chin.

"I suppose you would have figured that out, now."

"How can she be a representative, Haldir? She's not even a member of Lorien. Not to mention a woman!"

"Did Elrond not explain, Lady Galadriel has her reasons? And as far as I'm concerned she is part of Lorien."

Aragorn eyed him for a moment. "What's so special about this girl? Why lie to me about her?"

Haldir stood up from his chair, and walked over to the porch.

"First of all, as you can see your not taking it to well, which I knew you wouldn't. You had a lot on your mind, so I did not feel like bothering you. Also, I've been…keeping a close eye on her in Lorien. I'm sort of like her mentor, so you could say our relationship is personal," Haldir explained.

"Personal? This is different for you. You refuse to settle down with a wife, yet you would "watch over" a child for-how many years?"

"She's 19, and yes I would," he answered simply.

Aragorn was surprised at his first answer.

"She's only 19?" He frowned. "What in seven hells was she thinking? She's far too young for this mission," he muttered.

"What did you say Aragorn?"

Aragorn sighed. "Haldir, I'm willing to give a little on the council subject. But did you expect her to join a fellowship?"

Now Haldir frowned. "What fellowship?"

"Just as I thought. The council's decision was to make a Fellowship of the Ring. We are going to Mordor to destroy the ring. Abigail just volunteered to join the company."

The elf's eyes widened with a mixture of shock and anger.

"She WHAT?"

Both turned as the door opened.

"Haldir, I might have done something-" Abigail began, but then she practically ran into Aragorn.

"Oh (gulp) hello there Lord Aragorn. We meet at last," she said, trying not to make a fool of herself.

"Rather we are meeting for a second time," he said.

Now, since she was so close, her noticed her finer features. Her hair was a deep auburn, contrast to fair skin (save for the freckles, of course). She was also pretty tall, the top of her head reaching his chin. Her eyes were the most interesting, though. A dark blue-gray, like the waters after a storm.

(A/n- How poetic.)

He realized she was staring a bit as well. She soon realized he had noticed, and she blushed slightly while taking a step back.

"Well," Aragorn spoke again. "You have impeccable timing. You two need to talk I think.'

She sort of flashed him a "you just had to tell him!" look as he started to leave.

She watched him go out the door and thought, 'Wow, he's…cute. I mean, those hazel eyes-I hope he didn't see me gawking. And he was one of the few not to yell at me during the council.'

"AHEM!" Haldir cleared his throat.

"Haldir, please, I know I can-"

"Absolutely not," he interrupted. "There is no way you are going to go to Mordor! There is a reason it is called the black land, a plagued land! It is by no means fitting for a girl like you!"

"Haldir listen!" she begged. "19 is not so young in mortal years. I'm old enough to wed if I wanted. And you can't deny that I'm skilled, you've seen me fight. I was taught almost everything I know by the captain of the guard. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"It might in some contest, but not for war! Don't you remember what I told you when you first wanted to fight? I said I would teach, but I never meant for you to be in a battle."

They both sat down on a couch that was in the room.

"I know you didn't mean for this, I sure know I didn't plan it. But while I was sitting in that council, something inside of me said yes. All those years of training were leading up to this moment."

Haldir got up from the couch and walked away. She stood up but didn't move.

"_My heart tells me this is destiny! You have to trust me_!" She was almost on the verge of tears, and he could tell it. He went back towards her slowly and pushed back a piece of hair that was in her face.

"_I worry that I am the only one who does trust you_."

She took a firm grip on his hand.

"I will make them trust me. They will see I am not helpless.

"But that is exactly what scares me," he explained. "I will not have the luxury of knowing you are safe. Every step you take will be one followed by danger."

"But that is the purpose of the fellowship, I will not be doing this alone."

She smiled. "They may not love me, but they aren't going to leave me for dead if I'm in trouble."

He rubbed his head. "Those no way of talking you out of this?"

She shook her head. "Not unless you have a large sum of money," she joked.

"You've made me soft," and indeed his voice was back to a gentle tone.

"I'll came back, just like you always to. You can't get rid of me that easily."

Then she gave him a friendly hug.

The Next Day

"I am a little glad to be leaving so soon. Less time for people to object, and for me to come to my sense," she mumbled.

"So you have changed your mind?" Haldir asked hopefully.

"No, I am still as crazy as ever."

They stopped before the "exit area" and did private farewell just to avoid questions.

"You will take Sagitta home, right?" Abigail asked.

"Of course I will."

Neither really knew what to say.

"I guess this is just, goodbye then, for now," she offered.

He hugged her and kissed he on top of the head.

"Goodbye, and take care."

"Same to you," she said softly and then she walked out.

Haldir saw Aragorn on a nearby path and stopped him.

"I know it is strange for you, but please try to keep an eye on her."

Aragorn only nodded.

"And I'm sorry for lying to you. You have my trust and my faith."

"I know and I do, my friend" Aragorn assured.

"Try to stay in one piece?" Haldir said with a smile.

"I always do," replied the ranger. They gave the manly "clap on the shoulder" bit, and went their separate ways.

When Abigail stepped in the clearing, she saw that the hobbits, Gandalf, Lord Boromir, and the dwarf (Lord Gimli she believed) were already there. There was also the farewell procession of elves. Arwen caught her eye and waved her over.

"This is a bit of a surprise," she said.

"I was sworn into secrecy," Abigail explained.

"Don't worry, I get it. I did enjoy our talks, you know."

"As did I. Maybe we can meet again when this is done," Abby suggested.

"Yes, maybe."

Abigail noticed something shiny was missing from the lady's neck.

"Arwen, what happened to you necklace?" she whispered.

The elf showed a trace of a blush on her cheeks. "I, um, gave it away," she whispered back. She sort of nodded towards Lord Aragorn who was now coming out.

"Oh. Oh! I knew something was going on."

"Clever you!" grinned Arwen.

They both bowed to each other, then Abigail went towards the group.

"So you really are coming?" sneered Boromir.

"_Bado mîbo orch!"_ she muttered. Again, Gandalf seemed to catch her muttering and looked at her with a hint of warning and amusement.

(A/N-Translation-Go kiss an orc! Haha, she told off Boromir and he doesn't know it)

She ignored Boromir and fiddled with her tools as the other came. Besides normal provision (blanket, extra clothes), her weapons were two elvish long daggers and a bow and arrow set. She thought about bringing her sword, then decided she didn't need the extra weight. As for clothing, she wore a long brown skirt, with slits on both sides that stopped right above the knee. Under that she wore black leggings and dark boots. On top, she had a dark green blouse with her gray Lorien cloak. Half of her hair was in a braid, and the other half was loosely down. As soon as everyone was ready, Elrond said a farewell speech.

"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him, no oath, nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you."

'Wonder how long it took him to think of that,' Abigail thought.

As they went out, she heard Frodo whisper,

"Mordor, Gandalf, is it right or left?" since he was in the lead.

"Left," Gandalf replied.

Abigail grinned to herself. 'And we're off like a herd of turtles."

And from far away, the lone captain said,

"_Namárië_," hoping it would reach her ears.

So, lot's of talking in this chapter, not too much action. But I think some fighting will happen in the next one.

For the most part, I think I may end up sticking more with the movie version of LOTR then the books, but my own little spin will still be added with it.

Thanks to reviewers:

LOTR Lover 24 and 7: Heehee, I know you all hate cliffies. But it's how I make sure you will keep reading.

ArwenEvenstar83: So, like I told you before, Elrond stopped her and there is no Legomance. And yes men are stupid.

In case I don't write soon, let me just say Happy Holidays. Send me lots of reviews as a gift!

-MysticNight9


	18. The First Day Is The Hardest

Here's the thing about being me. I love planning, the general plot of the stories, and then reach blanks when I try to make details. This will be my "excuse" for slow updates. As much as I want to post ASAP, sometimes my creativity blows a fuse once in a while. I hope you guys can understand that.

Oh, and you really need to trust me on the whole "getting her memory back" thing. IT WILL HAPPEN! And it won't be the last minute surprise at the very end, or anything. I have my reasons, as much as they annoy you. Okay, let's get started.

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Lord of the Rings, comprendo?

Chapter 17 Recap:

"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him, no oath, nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you."

'Wonder how long it took him to think of that,' Abigail thought.

As they went out, she heard Frodo whisper,

"Mordor, Gandalf, is it right or left?" since he was in the lead.

"Left," Gandalf replied.

Abigail grinned to herself. 'And we're off like a herd of turtles."

And from far away, the lone captain said,

"_Namárië_," hoping it would reach her ears.

Chapter 18:

It's funny how 10 people can't think of anything to talk about. They had been traveling for almost a day, an only the hobbits had whispered something now and then.

About mid-afternoon, the company stopped and it was apparent a discussion was going to be arranged. Boromir, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf sort of gathered near each other, with Frodo right behind Gandalf. The other three hobbits took this as their cue to have a little rest. Abigail started walking towards the men, but Aragorn cast her a warning glare. She scowled, but decided she wasn't in the mod more arguing.

"Fine, keep me in the dark. I'll just go fill my water pouch," she muttered. But she slowly inched closer to them, until she could hear their conversation.

"Should we not be crossing the river soon, Aragorn?" asked Legolas. "Soon the water will be too deep to ford."

They were still technically in Rivendell territory, because they never crossed the River Loudwater. Abigail too had wondered what the wait was for.

Aragorn replied, "I am making sure there are no signs of Nazgul on the other side before we cross."

Abigail almost dropped he bottle in the river.

'Nazgûl? I thought they wouldn't stray this close to a city.' She glanced at Frodo. 'Then again, they have all the reason to come here.'

"The river should have carried them far, my spell made sure of that," Gandalf said.

"I trust your magic, Gandalf. But there were only, what, five or six riders chasing Haldir? That means the others could still be close by," Aragorn explained.

"Possible, but most likely they would have-"

"Spying?"

A voice interrupted her focus. Abigail looked around.

"I don't believe we have been properly introduced." She held out her hand. "The name's Abigail, or Abby if you please."

The hobbit shook her hand slowly.

"Samwise, but preferably Sam, Gamgee," he replied.

"You're the one attached to Frodo?"

"More like I have a duty to Mister Frodo, miss."

She smiled, grimly. "Don't we all." She stood up, done filling up her bottle.

"You must be a nutter for coming," commented Sam.

"Don't tell me you're like the rest of them. You think I can't do this either?"

"Now, I believe I have a fair good respect for women. In all honesty, though, the hardest take I've seen them do is clean a babe."

"And a difficult job that can be no doubt," Abigail looked into the distance. "But I was trained for more."

Sam just shrugged his shoulder a bit, and went to join Frodo, for both now noticed the meeting was over.

"We need to cross the river now." Aragorn said. "Hobbits, you may need to grab onto someone. While the current is fairly calm here, the level is about waist high."

'Super,' Abigail thought.

"Merry, Pippin, let me talk your packs so they don't get wet," she offered.

"Right, thanks," Merry said, and they did as she asked.

Aragorn took Frodo and Sam's packs. As they began to cross, Sam stood by Aragorn, Frodo stood by Gandalf, Merry stood by Legolas and Pippin stood by Boromir. Gimli was next, and then Abigail was last like always.

'Good thing I opted against the white blouse,' Abby thought.

They crossed the river, checked the equipment, and waited a second, almost expecting something horrible to come out of the woods now. Nothing happened, so

"It would be quickest to cut through the trees than to trudge along the shore," said Boromir.

Aragorn nodded in agreement, and they were off walking again.

Night came, and no one and seen or heard anything so they decided it would be safe to make camp.

Aragorn and Legolas went off to see if they could find some meat for a meal, while the rest of you set up camp. With Aragorn gone, it was now mainly Boromir who kept glaring at you. Gimli, thankfully, seemed rather indifferent. He pretty much ignored you, but not in a mean way. He still seemed uneasy with the fact of traveling with an elf.

Moments later, Abigail spoke.

"As much as I love sitting and waiting-"

"It's all you're good for," muttered Boromir.

Again, she held her tongue. Her wit could be funny around Authion, but here it could get her smacked.

"Why don't I just get some firewood?" she suggested. Without awaiting answer, she got up and left, just as Aragorn and Legolas got back.

"Where is she off to?" asked Legolas.

"She's going to attempt to find firewood," Boromir answered bitterly.

Gandalf sighed, "It would not kill you to be kinder, Lord Boromir. She's not going anywhere soon."

"Says you," he said. "First little bruise she gets, she's going home crying."

"Why not give the lassie a chance," Gimli spoke up. "She obviously had some courage to come along in the first place, not to mention hold her own at a council."

"Or she could just be insane for joining," said Legolas.

"So everyone says," chuckled Gandalf, "But an open mind never hurt anyone."

"Except for maybe us, when she runs away during a fight. I have been taught that women have no place in war, and I am not about to change that opinion," Boromir seethed. He was obviously the one who was most disturbed by this situation.

"What do you think Aragorn?" questioned Legolas.

"I do not doubt her training, Lorien elves are known for fierce warriors," he pondered. "But this is still a new experience for her. As my sources say, she hasn't been out of Lorien until Rivendell. I don't know how much we can rely on her in the real world. Boromir is right, it is possible she might panic." He sat down and continued.

"But I also agree with Gimli, that we need to give her a chance. Let us see how she fights and how she reacts, only time will show what she really is capable of." He took a breath, "I know I'm in no position to order you around, but we could try to be more open to everyone in this fellowship. We have a long road ahead, and we need to trust each other."

Now Gandalf stepped in.

"It will take some adjusting, even for me, but the idea is to have us all be united. We are a picture of hope for all of Middle Earth."

Everyone seemed to be able to agree somewhat, even if a little doubtful.

Meanwhile

When Abigail was a safe distance away from a camp, she gave a little yell of frustration and kicked a tree very hard, happily imagining it to be Boromir's head.

"Bloody high and mighty men!" she screamed (but not to loud mind you).

After she calmed down a bit, she did what she was supposed to and started gathering some firewood. Not too much was on the ground, and a lot was wet. Finally she found some near a pile of boulders. Some sticks were on top, but some were wedged in-between. She tried to pull off the rocks, but they were too heavy. She was about to give up when she thought,

'Wait, this would be helpful time to use telekinetic powers. Which I do have.'

After making sure no one was close, she focused on the boulders, and moved them out of the way. While she was using her powers, though, she felt something. Or rather she felt nothing. Her powers allowed her to feel presences, since she could feel, their heart, mind, soul etc. Currently, she could faintly sense an object, but here was nothing inside of it. Nothing she could grasp.

'This feeling, it's…familiar."

She racked through her mind, trying to think of some evidence. Suddenly, it came to her. She didn't know how she knew, but the name screamed in her head.

"Oh shit!" she yelled. She dropped the wood and ran as fast as she could back to camp.

Pippin looked up, and saw Abigail charging towards them.

"What's up with her?" he asked out loud. The rest of the company turned to see the girl running for her life.

"Abigail?" said Gandalf.

She ignored him, and instead went straight towards her pack, and pulled out both of her long daggers. Now everyone was alert.

"Abigail, what is it?" Aragorn demanded.

She looked up, as if just noticing they were there. She caught her breath, and said the one word that had been screaming in her head.

"Nazgûl!"

One cue, they heard the faint footsteps of a galloping horse.

Everyone eyes widened, and then they took out their weapons.

"Gandalf, Abigail, stay close to the hobbits!" Aragorn said.

"You've got to be joking!" she replied, angry at being shoved in the back again.

"Abigail, this is no time to argue," he yelled.

Now the wraiths came into view, coming from the side.

She gave up, and retreated close to the hobbits.

"Keep your swords up, boys. They move like shadows on those horses," she warned.

Legolas was shooting arrows like mad, but they didn't seem to have an effect. She thought about getting her bow, but then decided it was too far away.

The men were managing to keep them away from Frodo, but there were having trouble reaching the wraiths because of their horses.

"How can we get them on the ground?" she asked Gandalf.

"I might have a way," he took a step closer and whispered some words to his staff. A bright glow emitted from it, and the horses reared, but the riders held on tight.

'Wait, Abby, duh! The horses are alive, you can control them,' she thought.

She made the horses fall completely over, and then forced them to run away.

'I'll have to make sure they don't come back.'

The Nazgûl's screamed in rage, which made everyone wince. The fight was better now that they were on the ground, but it was hard to touch them.

One came up close to Legolas, and knocked the bow out of his hand. Thankfully, the elf jumped back, away from the sword. Gandalf rushed to help him leaving Abigail alone.

The other three were occupied with the other two Nazgûl, but one slipped past and came towards Abigail and the hobbits.

'Keep attacks high, block your weaker side more, be patient for the right opportunity,' she thought over Haldir's tips.

She moved to block with her left and strike with her right, but as soon as she touched the wraith, a horrible pain seared through her side and made her drop back. She half noticed Frodo's stare of recognition. She also vaguely remembered that the pain of wraiths mark never leaves.

She heard the Nazgûl say,

"There is only one female I have marked in the side," he hissed.

"I-it was you, seven years ago," she stuttered.

"I must say I am surprises you lived through it, though I expect your life to still end shortly," he taunted.

"It will be your downfall that I lived." She began to strike with her daggers again and again, trying to ignore the pain. Then something dawned on her.

"How come you and I can talk?"

"Still a stupid girl," he rasped. "Unfortunately, your powers allow you enough access to our minds to hear our thoughts."

"It's amazing you have any mind left at all," she said. She unknowingly was mind speaking back to him, for her mouth never moved.

This made for a strange sight for the others, for she held such a fixation to the wraiths face, even though it didn't exist. They didn't understand what she was doing.

"You have improved your skill, but you can't use your magic along them for long," the black mouth said.

"And why is that?" She couldn't help but be curious.

"We are attracted to great things of power. Every time you use yours, it's like a beacon, making it that much easier to find you."

"You are bluffing."

"How do you think we found you so suddenly?"

'It could be right. Frodo didn't use the ring, but I used my power,' she thought to herself.

"Do not worry. Soon you will be able to use your powers all you want."

They both struck high, and their swords (well daggers too) were caught together, and they were just pushing down on them as hard as possible, hoping someone would give up.

All this time, the others were trying to jump in and help, but they couldn't seem to get close. Somehow, Abigail and the Nazgûl seemed to get farther away from the others.

Aragorn noticed, that the other wraiths weren't focused on the hobbits; they were trying to follow Abigail.

"Why do they not try to take the ring?" he discreetly asked Legolas.

The elf couldn't think of an answer, and merely shrugged.

"You have made your choice, and there is no escaping it," he hissed.

Abigail pushed the side of its sword and made it swing around.

"What choice?" she asked out loud.

Gandalf was the first to see she was being backed up into a tree, and she didn't see it.

"Aragorn!" he cried.

The ranger saw what he was worried about, and attempted to make his way to the girl.

"Abigail move!" he yelled, hoping to get her attention.

It was too late; she was pushed into the tree, and momentarily lost control of her daggers.

Instead of stabbing her with the sword, the Nazgûl reached forward and only grabbed her side.

This time, Abigail couldn't ignore the pain. It felt like her was stabbing her, a hundred times over. She gasped, and fell on her knees, clutching her scar tightly.

Now this Nazgûl really was going to strike, but before it came down, a thick sword blocked it with a clang. Abigail looked up and was surprised to see…Boromir. He had just saved her life.

Boromir held his own, and was actually able to make the wraith retreat a little.

Legolas saw his chance. He grabbed an arrow, and shot the Nazgûl that was fighting Boromir in the back. It screamed with pain. Two similar screams were hears, seconds later. It seems the other two wraiths were hit as well. Abigail regained her focus, and made/allowed the horses to come back.

Surprisingly enough, the riders jumped back on their steeds, and retreated.

"That's right! Run if yeh know what's good for yeh!" shouted Gimli.

The Nazgul gave a final screech. Well, for the others it was a screech, but what Abigail heard was,

"This is only the beginning. There is more to come…"

Then, they were back to the silence of the trees.

Abigail, breathed a sigh of relief, and stood up shakily. She picked up her blades and sheathed them.

'I never made a choice, certainly not one agreeing with their kind,' she thought.

She sighed again, and then started to walk slowly away from the camp.

"Where do you think you are going?" Aragorn said.

"To get the damn firewood," she yelled over her shoulder.

Again, Gandalf was the only one who seemed amused. The rest were just bewildered.

"It's alright Aragorn," the wizard said. "She'll be back in a moment."

"What about them black riders?" Sam asked.

Gandalf shook his head. "They won't be back, at least not tonight."

"How can you be so sure of that?" voiced Legolas.

"They never return after an attack, especially if they have been hurt at all. We saw that at Weather top," Frodo spoke.

"I think we are fine, for the night." Aragorn agreed. "But we should have watches all night, and leave quickly in the morning."

All mumbled some sort of 'yes' and cleaned up the camp, still wondering what had really just happened.

I said all of my main thoughts at the top of my page. I hope you found this little section of action interesting. I'm not very good at writing fight scenes, and all in all there are kind of hard to put on paper for any writer. It's weird to describe all the specific moves and such.

Man, I really need to stop making excuses for myself. And maybe I shouldn't have Abigail swear so much, not quite proper for the time I'm sure.

Thanks to coolio reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83: Still many thanks for the proper translation. I really do plan on fixing that.

Narnian Sprite: I'm very glad to see a new reviewer! Trust me, I am digging my own grave with these typos. Such tiny annoyances, but I know they need to be fixed.

Samantha-Girl Scout: Yay, you're happy!

LOTR Lover 24 and 7: Of course I gotta keep up the girl power! Thanks!

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: I'm not going to spoil the surprise, but like I said before, it will happen! I'm glad you like the story thus far, and I hope you keep reviewing. Thanks!

CelticRoseOfTheLake: Always lovely to see a review from you. Thanks for the happy thoughts!

I am so excited: 51 reviews! (does happy dance)

Enjoy life and keep an open mind.

-MysticNight9


	19. Time For A Chat

In all honesty, I might kind of speed through lots of the traveling parts. I was so excited to get the Fellowship together, and now I don't know what to do with them. I guess I'll just have to see how it flows.

Disclaimer: What's that you say? Oh yeah, it's I NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL OWN LORD OF THE RINGS!

Chapter 18 Recap:

"What about them black riders?" Sam asked.

Gandalf shook his head. "They won't be back, at least not tonight."

"How can you be so sure of that?" voiced Legolas.

"They never return after an attack, especially if they have been hurt at all. We saw that at Weather top," Frodo spoke.

"I think we are fine, for the night." Aragorn agreed. "But we should have watches all night, and leave quickly in the morning."

All mumbled some sort of 'yes' and cleaned up the camp, still wondering what had really just happened.

Chapter 19:

Abigail did come back shortly, with a good stack of firewood in her hands. Dinner consisted of a couple of pheasants and some packed cheese.

"How did you manage to get pheasants?" Pippin wondered.

Aragorn shrugged. "There are a few wild ones left, or they could of escaped from a nearby farm."

"Well, I'm glad they did," Pippin said contently. Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal, and there was reflective silence for a while until Gimli asked,

"Where do we go from here?"

"We have a few options I believe," Legolas said, but turned to Aragorn for assurance.

"It would be best if we head south and make for the Gap of Rohan. We would probably have the best traveling conditions on that road," he said.

"Are we in danger of coming to close to Isengard?" Abigail finally spoke up. Curious faces looked at her.

"Don't be so surprised that I can read a map," she said sharply.

"Oh sorry, I was just thinking, " Aragorn said.

Abigail was surprised in return for an apology.

The man continued. "True, Isengard is on the northern side of the gap. But if we stay on the more southern path to Edoras, we should pass through quietly."

"Do we plan on stopping in Edoras?" Boromir asked.

"I do not know how wise that would be. Perhaps if we need provisions, but overall it is best we stay away from villages. I think we would stir up to many questions," Gandalf said.

Abigail chuckled to herself. "I suppose we are a bit of an odd looking family," she said sarcastically.

"Indeed," Gimli snorted.

The hobbits still kept to their thought. Gap of Rohan? Edoras? Both were slightly familiar names, but with no real meaning behind them. The one Frodo recognized the best was Isengard. And from what he heard from Gandalf, he would like to stay away from wizard Saruman. Frodo studied Abigail again. He had wanted to talk to her ever since the council. First she offered him words of comfort, and then she pledged to help him by any means. She was the strangest woman he had ever met.

The fire soon began to dim, and the people with it. Aragorn took the first watch, of course, so the rest tried to find a respectable sleeping spot.

Abigail couldn't sleep though, and she kept track of the watch changes throughout the night. When she realized Boromir's time was up, she went herself to revive him. They needed to have a little chat. She found him on the far edge of the campsite, sitting on a stump.

"Lord Boromir, you're done," she whispered.

"I am not tired," he said bitterly.

Abigail sighed. She was expecting his attitude.

"I'm sure you aren't. But neither am I, so I think you should just go lie down and let me take over."

I do not need your help," he whispered harshly.

"Fine," she said. "Then I will just sit here with you," and she did sit on the ground next to him.

He grumbled, but thankfully made no complaints outright.

"I need to thank you, by the way, for saving my life."

He wasn't fazed. "I would not leave any other girl defenseless and dead, you are no exception."

"Well, I'm still grateful."

"You're welcome, I guess."

Out of the corner of her eye, he saw him yawn. She smirked, but didn't let him see it.

"Boromir, please, just let me do this," she begged.

He rolled his eyes, and she could tell even in the dark.

"Fine, you can have your stupid watch. If anything moves just shoot it, okay? Except for me," he said. She smiled, for he had unknowingly made a joke (sort of). There was still some anger in his voice, but she thought he was really just too tired to argue.

"Understood. See you in the morning."

He just walked off.

A Little While Later

Frodo woke up, and happened to notice Abigail was not in her blanket.

'Maybe she's at the watch. This would make for a good time to talk," he thought. He got up and looked around, but still couldn't see here.

"Where is she?" he whispered.

"Looking for me?" a soft voice spoke from above.

Suddenly a figure jumped down from the tree in front of him.

"Gaffer's toe, don't do that!" he said.

She chuckled, "Gaffer's toe?"

"Um…I heard Pippin say it once."

"Well then it must be good." She grinned. "What can I do for you Frodo?"

"In short, I am very confused," he confessed.

Her mouth frowned a little. "About what?"

"I don't understand…why everyone would risk their lives to protect me, when they hardly know me."

"While they vowed to protect you, they are also doing this to save the earth as well."

"Yes, I realized that, I'm not that self-centered. But, in that moment I couldn't believe that all these strangers would pledge their loyalty in an instant." He paused and looked straight at her. "Why did you join?"

She thought, and suddenly she laughed softly.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"I find it humorous, that I can't really say why I joined."

She looked into the distance.

"How I acted that day was very out of character. I usually do what I am told and I'm very shy."

She turned back around.

"But then I saw you, and your determination made me confident. I heard the oaths that were being taken, and I knew I would do anything I could to help. That I would be strong and take risks in the name of all that is good. You are an excellent picture of goodness and hope, Frodo. I would willingly defend that, as well as the rest of them would."

Frodo was able to smile a little, something he hadn't done in a while.

"Thanks, I feel a bit better now."

"I'm glad," she said.

She was about to go back into her tree, when she noticed he wasn't moving.

"Sorry, anything else?" she asked.

"This might sound strange," he began slowly, "But today with the Nazgûl, I was wondering, why your side was hurting so much. I didn't see any blood or anything…" he trailed off.

"I was wondering who would notice that," she spoke more to herself than to Frodo. "I suppose I'll just come out and say it. I was stabbed by a wraith, about 7 years ago."

Frodo looked shocked.

"7 years ago? But…that would mean you were only a child."

"A child of 12," she finished.

"How? Why?"

"I don't really remember, it's such a blur. I do know it was close to Lorien, and I was saved by elvish medicine, much like yourself."

"Is that how your parents died?"

She looked startled. "My parents?"

"Yes, I heard you were orphaned at that age and moved to Lorien. Is that why?"

'Right, my make believe parents and my fictional childhood,' she thought sadly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

She almost laughed. He thought she was sad about her "dead parents".

"It's fine, you didn't know," she finally answered.

Silence.

"Seven years and there is still a scar," Frodo thought out loud.

"I'm sorry that you have to bear that pain as well."

She was truly sorry to see his peaceful expression gone.

"All part of the job, right?"

She nodded. "Right," she said weakly. "You should go back to sleep Frodo, it's no short trip to Rohan."

"G'night," he said, and went back to camp.

Abigail, half-heartedly, returned to that tree to and focused on watch duty again.

'How long can I keep up this masquerade of my life?' she questioned herself.

She tried not to think about it, and just went back to scanning the forest.

Short chapter, I know. This is more of a filler for you readers, and I tried not to have a horrible cliffhanger or anything. But this also means of posted twice in the past 24 hours, and I even still had reviewers!

Thanks go to:

mandapandape: I'm glad you like my story, and of course I'm always glad to see a new reviewer. Thanks!

LOTR Lover 24 and 7: How did I toy with you? I'm sorry, I don't think I meant to! Please don't kill me; I don't wanna be with Isildur!

Narnian Sprite: Thank you for the complement! I love to know that my chapters are written well.

ArwenEvenstar83: Good to hear you liked the action, and the mind talk thing. I was worried that was going to be a little far-fetched, even for Middle Earth.

May the sun shine if you live in California!

Readers: What the heck is that suppose to mean?

Me: BwaHaHa! (And that's suppose to be an evil laugh)

Until later!

-MysticNight9


	20. Moving In A Different Direction

I've set a new record for myself; I slept until 12:05. I'll never hear the end of it because I used to brag about how I was such an early bird and be perfectly fine with only having 5 hours of sleep. I guess that's the price I pay for reading quizilla/fanfiction until 3:00 in the morning. Well, enough about my sleeping problems, let's get started.

Disclaimer: Too tired to think of a witty remark. I don't own any part of Lord of the Rings, whether it be the movies or the books.

Chapter 19 Recap:

She nodded. "Right," she said weakly. "You should go back to sleep Frodo, it's no short trip to Rohan."

"G'night," he said, and went back to camp.

Abigail, half-heartedly, returned to that tree to and focused on watch duty again.

'How long can I keep up this masquerade of my life?' she questioned herself.

She tried not to think about it, and just went back to scanning the forest.

I'll be doing a big leap here. I've decided not to spend too much time on the first part of the fellowship journey. Look at it this way; we can get to the juicy stuff faster.

Chapter 20:

As hoped, the Fellowship came around the bonding idea. Realization seemed to hit that they were together for a long time, and they needed to look out for each other.

Gimli had a newfound respect after seeing everyone's fighting skills, and everyone else found out what a talker he was. Gimli loved to brag for hours about the great culture of the dwarves and what beautiful gems they could mine. He was good for a laugh as well, though, so they could stand his boasting.

Gandalf, of course, had never spoken out much and he still didn't. But he also was never prejudice against anyone, and remained a friend to all.

Merry and Pippin could always brighten the mood, which was much appreciated. Frodo was honest and kind, but it was also plain to see he was very troubled and quiet at time. When he smiled, thought, it lit up the entire company. And dear old Sam was the honorary cook and always ready to scold Merry and Pippin for their antics. The one thing all four shared in common was their love of the Shire, which they would describe to the company many times.

Legolas was still the quiet elf, but they soon found what a marvelous storyteller he was. He told legend and myths with such detail, sometimes you could have sworn you were actually there. His love for elf lore in particular, reminded Abigail of Haldir a lot, which explained her desire to befriend him.

When the two were in private, they would talk about each other's home often, because she was the only one besides Aragorn really that understood elvish society. He confessed how he worried that his father, King Thranduil's, mind was wearing thin, and that the forest was becoming lonelier.

"I believe he will want to leave for the Grey Haven's soon," the prince said once," but I don't know if I will go with him or not."

"Why is that?" Abigail asked.

"I love my family and my people, but there are so many friends and places I value here as well," he explained. "This always will be my first homeland, and I fear if a leave I will always wonder what I am missing."

Abigail nodded in understanding. She had also noticed that the Lorien population had become smaller in the pat couple years. This talk with Legolas made her wonder if Haldir wanted to leave.

The one person, that surprised Abigail the most, was Boromir. After a while, his attitude seemed to change completely. He argued much less and took the liberty of doing things like teaching the hobbits how to fight. He was different towards Abigail as well. After that first night, she often took the watch shift that was right after Boromir's, so she could have those few minutes to talk with him. She never gave up on trying to get him to like her and it paid off. It seemed to take forever, but he eventually returned the kindness. Abigail couldn't help but think this wasn't all her doing, so she confronted him one night.

"Let's be honest, Boromir. You were the one man who truly despised me being here. Not that I am complaining, but what happened?"

He gave her a somewhat crooked smile.

"I suppose it's because you remind me of my brother."

This was not the answer she had expected. "Your brother?"

"Yes," he said simply. "Faramir is a silent fighter, like you. He won't scream or yell, just thinks about it and goes. He was also more intellectual, taking well to studies with studies of books and maps. I could never sit still during a lesson."

This was similar to Abigail, because she had secretly stolen a few books from Hadlir and put them in her pack, no doubt he would find some way to scold her later. Boromir had caught her reading a few times, thus he came to that connection.

"Anything else?" she said, regaining her thoughts and voice.

"He strives for approval of others, as well as appreciation. Mainly from our father."

That definitely sounded like her. "I thought your father thought highly of you."

"Yes, but only me," he replied solemnly. "I do not know what had blinded my father to Faramir, but if he does not realize it soon, their relationship will be forever ruined."

"Well, at least he had his big brother," she said hopefully.

"Yes, he will always have me," Boromir concluded thoughtfully.

Then there was the on person who remained a mystery to Abigail. After Hadlir's countless praises of him, Abigail was hopeful that she and Aragorn could become friend. The ranger stayed distant though, from her most of all. He usually talked to only Gandalf and Legolas, which hurt and confused her a little.

Then again, if she was carrying a heavy object, or having trouble with a strap, he was always there to help her. He was silent, but it seemed he was keeping an eye on her.

'Probably Haldir's doing,' she thought.

The 10 of them had been traveling for almost two weeks now, and were about halfway to the gap of Rohan. They had not been going at a grueling pace, but still stopped for afternoon rests from time to time.

Today they found a rocky hill in the plains beside the Misty Mountains. Boromir started a sword lesson with the hobbits on a lower part of the hill, while Frodo and Sam both worked on a snack.

Gimli, Legolas and Gandalf went to a high point and began to talk. Abigail went to join them.

"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they're not," Gimli started, "I'd say we were taking the long way round. Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome."

"No Gimli, I would not take the roads through Moria unless I had no other choice," Gandalf quickly disagree.

Abigail felt the same way as Gandalf. While warm food and bedding sounded fairly nice, she would rather not be stuck in a plane with no moon, sun or stars. It also would be absolutely filthy in there.

She turned away from the conversation, and saw Aragorn sitting alone.

'Perfect time to catch up,' she thought.

She plopped down next to him, and started with a topic she knew he wouldn't ignore.

"So how are things with Arwen?"

He looked a tad dumbstruck, which didn't surprise her. She loved being random.

"How many people are going to ask me that on this quest?" he groaned.

She smirked. "Who else has asked you?"

"Legolas and Gandalf, but I suppose that was to be expected."

"Well, when you wear a sparkling, crystal necklace that was obviously made for a girl, eyebrows tend to raise."

He actually grinned at her.

"You ignored the question," she pointed out.

"You sound like Haldir."

"Thank you," she gave a mock head bow.

"Cheeky, aren't you?"

"You did it again,"

"Fine," he sighed. "It's a battle. Some days when I think of her, my heart feels lighter, but sometimes when I look at the necklace, I regret taking it. Then I just feel heavy."

"Do you love her?" she asked simply.

"Yes. She is kind, beautiful and she never judges me by my past."

'A great feeling that would be, to not be criticized by one's history,' she thought.

Aragorn watched her nod in understanding.

"But," he spoke cautiously. "I do not know if I'm **in** love with her anymore."

"There is such a fine line between loving and being in love, Aragorn. Both are wonderful feelings and you should not take either of them lightly," she replied.

He smiled again. "Are you encouraging me, then?"

'Damn he's gorgeous when he smiles,' she thought. 'Gah! No, don't think about that! Bad!'

She shook her head lightly. "You need to listen to yourself Aragorn, no one else can really help you. Advise you, maybe, but either way I am probably the last person you want to talk about love with."

"Ah, yes, Haldir said you were lacking expertise in that area."

She laughed. "It's partially his fault that I do. He won't let me near any boys if they're not my friends first, and he also needs to approve my friends."

"So does he watch over you because he knew your parents?"

"No, he never knew my parents," she said without thinking.

"I thought you said your parent's left you with their elvish friends?"

'I need to keep these lies straights, though I don't want to lie to begin with,' she thought quickly.

"Oh, well…um…my parent's friends already had lots of children to watch, and Haldir was such I good friends of theirs (the elves) they decided to hand me over to him. I didn't object, though."

She hoped he would buy it. He only looked at her weirdly, and thankfully said nothing.

'Why is she lying? What does she have to hide?' Aragorn thought.

'This is why I can't tell the truth. Even with stories that are suppose to make sense, they are suspicious. If I tell them the whole confusing story, they won't trust me.'

She looked at her comrades. 'If one person loses faith now, the entire company could fall apart again. I can't let that happen.' She sighed inwardly. 'So the lie goes on,' she thought sadly.

'Why do I hate it when she looks sad and helpless? Why do I feel the need to see her smile?" Aragorn asked himself.

They both were caught up in their thoughts; they didn't even notice that Abigail was starting to lean into Aragorn.

Laughter broke their thoughts, and they saw Merry and Pippin wrestle Boromir to the ground.

"What is that?" Sam asked suddenly.

"Nothing, it's just a whisp of cloud," Gimli scoffed.

"It's moving fast…against the wind," Boromir observed.

"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas warned the group.

Aragorn jumped to his feet. "Hide everything! Take cover, quickly!" Aragorn yelled.

Everyone began to cover packs and put out fires. But Abigail just stared at the birds, in some sort of trance.

_A girl sat high in the tree at night, just staring at the moon. Her attention changes at the sound of flapping wings. Moments later, a mass of these creatures dove at her, making the little girl fall out of the tree. As she fell she fainted, but Abigail watched as that girls' body began to slow down, and it disappeared just before she hit the ground. The birds started to disappear as they were blown by the winds. As if they had only been an illusion of smoke._

Abigail focused back into reality as Aragorn yelled,

"Abigail!" and pulled her down on the rocks ledge with him.

They both waited as the Crebain flew overhead. Aragorn's breathing was fast and worried. She felt his chest rise and fall quickly against her back. Abigail was breathing slowly and cautiously. Aragorn's arm was around her waist, to keep her from rolling away, and he felt how he stomach was barely moving with her breaths.

The noise of the wings had stopped, but no one moved yet.

The two reflected for just a moment on how well their bodies fit together, before crawling out.

Abigail couldn't decide if what she just experienced was a dream or a vision. A dream consisted of metaphorical images. They were pictures of what she was feeling at the time or some kind of warning to her. Visions were, of course, allowing her to see actual events as they happened or something in the past. She came to these definitions; because it was obvious she had strange, frightening dreams. But she also had that one vision showing her the hobbits.

'This could be a vision, because it was definitely Crebain who attacked that girl,' Abigail thought. 'But I don't get how she vanished, or what that girl has to do with me. I also have only had visions or dreams while I'm sleeping. But to have a vision while you are awake…doesn't that mean they are memories?'

Her head hurt from all this thinking. 'Do I get other's memories now. Or…or could they be my own? That girl was young, maybe younger then 12 (the age when I lost my memory). I don't know I didn't see her face. No, that couldn't be me…it just couldn't.'

She shook her head, determined to believe that the vision, or whatever, had nothing to do with her.

Again, she was snapped back into reality by Aragorn's yelling.

"What is the matter, why didn't you move? They could have seen you!" he scolded. He was half angry and half worried about what was wrong with her, the rest of the group noticed.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know what happened," she hung her head. She was ashamed that she might of put the group in jeopardy.

Gandalf interrupted. "It does not matter anymore. This just means that the passage south is being watched. It seems we are to close to Isengard." Gandalf looked towards the mountains.

"We must now take the Pass of Caradhas."

'How wonderful,' Abby thought. 'I haven't seen snow for 7 years, and now I get to walk waist deep in it.'

"I hope everyone brought a hat," she said sarcastically, earning her a mixture of glares, chuckles, and rolling eyes. You can probably guess who did what.

Gee, I wonder how Crebain got in Montana? And now all you can stop bugging me about the romance issue. This should be some proof that I still want Aragorn to be a love interest. I haven't changed my mind.

Thanks to Reviewers:

Narnian Sprite: Furry-footed Frodo, that's cute! I always thought it was kind of gross how hobbits went barefoot everywhere, though (especially when Frodo goes to the marshes).

Chaos Queen2.0: Again, I'm excited to hear from a new reviewer. I truly am sorry for all the typos. As I said earlier, I wanted to use this break to fix all of them, but I've only done about 5 chapters total. Sorry again, but I hope you keep reading!

midnight-flurry: Yeah, ditto to you what I said to Chaos Queen about the typos. I am delighted that you are still reading though, so thanks for putting up with it.

ArwenEvenstar83: You have a point about the mind speaking. What I thought might be far fetched it the fact that she can talk back and forth with Nazgûl. But, I'm okay with it and seems you are to. Thanks!

To all my readers:

I know you all hate typos, and I'm sorry that I haven't fixed them as fast as I meant to. I do hope you can live with them for now, and it doesn't stop you from reading. I swear one of these days I'm just going to lock myself in my room, and I won't be let out until they are fixed. Until then, please enjoy the parts of the chapter that don't have typos, and feel free to keep yelling at me. I really don't mind and I kind of deserve it. It keeps my mind in shape and it helps me remember what you guys want.

20 chapters done, and so many left to go!

-MysticNight9


	21. The Failed Path Of Caradhas

I'm so sad! My wonderful winter break is over! And I have the bloody-rotten English paper. I'm so screwed. It's worth almost my entire grade, and I haven't even started it. I have one week before the rough draft has to be done. Pity me, my friends, and send me lots of luck.

On a happier note, let's start chapter 21.

Disclaimer: Do not make my life worse by suing me, because I don't own Lord of the Rings, not even a little.

Chapter 20 Recap:

"…The passage south is being watched. It seems we are to close to Isengard." Gandalf looked towards the mountains.

"We must now take the Pass of Caradhas."

'How wonderful,' Abby thought. 'I haven't seen snow for 7 years, and now I get to walk waist deep in it.'

"I hope everyone brought a hat," she said sarcastically, earning her a mixture of glares, chuckles, and rolling eyes. You can probably guess who did what.

Chapter 21:

So the ten began to climb the long slopes of Caradhas. It would have been an okay trip if there were not any snow. The wind was gentle, and the sun was still shining, but the snow was icy and deep. This is probably what caused Frodo to trip. He started to tumble, with no means of stopping. Thankfully Aragorn was at the end to stop him. Frodo carefully stood up, and searched frantically around his neck. Abigail realized what he was missing, but the gold shone brilliantly against the white.

Since Boromir was the closest, he moved to pick it up, but paused for a moment and just stared at it.

"Boromir," Aragorn said slowly.

Boromir didn't move.

"It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing."

"Boromir!" Aragorn warned again. "Give the Ring to Frodo."

Boromir shook his head slightly, as if he were waking up. He walked down and handed the ring to Frodo.

"As you wish. I care not." He messed up Frodo's hair in a friendly manner, but Frodo just looked uncomfortable.

Abigail saw Aragorn slowly release a tight grip on his sword. She caught his eye for a moment, but he turned his attention towards Frodo and helped the hobbit back up the hill.

The rest turned around and started to walk as well. Abigail gave Boromir an alarmed look as her passed her, but he didn't see it.

Abby trusted Aragorn's instincts, but Boromir was a friend. Was there really a need to feel threatened by him?

As they went higher up the mountain, the weather took a turn for the worse. The wind whipped the snow in their faces, and the sky turned dark.

"This is insanity," Abigail grumbled to herself. "There is not one good place to stop and get away from the cold. But we can't possibly walk over the entire mountain without sleeping. And the bloody elf is able to walk of the snow, while we freeze our asses of."

If her eyes weren't frozen, she would of glared at Legolas. Suddenly, the elf stopped at the edge of a path.

"There is a foul voice on the air," he tried to shout over the storm.

They listen, and indeed there was some sort of chant to be heard.

"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya!" it said.

Gandalf recognized the words.

"It's Saruman!" he shouted.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf we must turn back!" Aragorn reasoned.

"No!" Gandalf refused. He took a step forward and started to say a counter spell.

"_Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!"_

It didn't seem to work, thought, for a bolt of lighting came down from the sky and crashed into the mountain. Immediately and avalanche of sort began to rain down.

'Screw not using my powers,' Abigail thought angrily. "I do NOT want to be buried alive, and I would like to see a nazgûl follow me up here.'

She focused her energy and pushed the snow out, making a mental barrier protecting the fellowship. She hoped it would look like the ledge was protecting them or something. Unfortunately, and ice chunk fell onto her hear, knocking her out for a moment.

"Abigail!" Boromir cried, as he saw her fall over. But he couldn't do anything, for soon he was down in the snow as well.

Abby woke up soon enough, but everything was a blur and everything was cold. She was in a grave of snow, and she didn't like it. She was starting to panic, she couldn't breath, she couldn't move.

'Yeah, this is exactly how I planned to die.'

She was almost amazed that she could still be sarcastic at a time like this. Then, she felt a brush of air at the top of her head. Someone was digging her out. When her entire head was out, she was able to move her arms out as well and she was free. Not without having a big coughing fit, though.

Her eyes cleared, and saw it was Boromir who was helping her.

"I owe you twice now," she managed to say.

"Don't mention it," he replied through chattering teeth. He turned his attention towards Gandalf.

"We must get off the mountain, make for Rohan and take the west road to my city!" he pleaded.

"No! We decided the Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn argued.

"If we cannont pass over mountain, les is go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria!" insisted Gimli for the tenth time.

Gandalf looked thoughtful. "Let the Ring bearer decide."

All eyes turned toward Frodo.

"I agree we cannot stay here. This will be the death of the Hobbits," Abigail stated calmly. 'And myself,' she added silently.

She felt a little bit bad about pressuring Frodo, but it was the truth.

"Frodo?" Legolas asked gently.

The poor Halfling looked worried and felt unsure. He also felt he had no choice but to say,

"We will go through the mines."

Gandalf admitted defeat. "So be it."

Quick POV To Isengard

Saruman leaned on his staff and listen to his Crebain.

"Ha! Would you actually brave Moria, Gandalf?" He walked to a chair and opened and ancient book. "The dwarves delved too greedily and deep. You know what the awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm." He turned the page slowly, and studies the dark illustration.

"Shadow and flame."

One Crebain stayed to tell him one last thing.

He narrowed his eyes. "A woman?" He stood up and paced across the floor. "What trick are you trying to pull?"

He paused, and the ends of his lips curled maniacally.

"I wonder if it's possible…" he trailed off. He moved towards the Palantir and pulled away the cloth.

Back With The Fellowship

With sore feet the company moved slowly on the rocky path. Now they were away from the bitter cold, but still in the chilling dark. They came to the West Gate.

"Frodo, come and help and old man."

Frodo looked surprised, but did as Gandalf said. He ran up and supported the wizard under his arm.

"How is your shoulder?" he asked quietly.

"Better than it was."

"And the Ring?"

Frodo glanced up, and then quickly took an interest to his feet.

"Ah, you feel its power growing, don't you? I've felt it too. You must be careful now. Evil will be drawn to you from outside the Fellowship. And, I fear, from within," he spoke sadly.

"Who then do I trust?" Frodo said with little hope.

"You must trust yourself. Trust your own strengths."

He still looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"There are many powers in this world for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. And against some I have not yet been tested," Gandalf explained.

This brought no comfort. Frodo still remembered Boromir's strange reaction that day on the mountain, the whimsy look in his eyes. Then he thought of his hobbit friends, or how Abby was kind or how Aragorn was protective. Would they all resist the ring long enough?

"The walls of Moria!" Gimli spoke in awe.

Abigail just stared at the rock, not seeing anything.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed, of course," he said quickly.

"Indeed. But their own masters are sometimes confused by their own tricky and dwarves forget the secret altogether," Gandalf said.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas whispered, standing next to Abigail. She smiled, but scolded him silently by punching his arm.

"What? Are you shocked by such stupidity?" he grinned back.

As hard as she tried, the blond prince still had issues with the grungy dwarf.

"Play nice with the others, your majesty."

He made a small face when she hinted his royalty, something he wasn't fond of.

The moon came out, though, and all were impressed by the glowing, silver archway that appeared.

"It reads, "The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter," announced Gandalf.

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry said.

"Of it's quite simple. If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open," he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Gandalf dramatically spoke some elvish phrases, but Pippin commented,

"Nothing's happening."

"Well, why don't you go try Pip?" Merry offered.

"Umm, no thanks, I'll wait," he said and sat down.

Everyone followed suit and waited as well.

A while later, Gandalf sighed and threw his staff on the ground.

"I use to know every spells in all tongues. Now it's useless," he sighed.

A moment later, Abigail, who was sitting next to Frodo, laughed softly.

"What is it?" he asked, for he was the only one who heard her.

"You've known Gandalf many year more than I have," she said. "So can't you recognize a riddle when you see one?"

He thought hard and said loudly, "You're right! It is a riddle! Speak "friend" and enter."

He turned around excitedly. "Gandalf, what's the elvish word for friend?"

"Mellon," the old man spoke slowly.

The massive doors opened slowly, grinding against the ground.

"Soon master Elf you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone! This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine. A mine!" Gimli bragged.

When he stopped talking, thought, they noticed the sickening crunch's bellow their feet.

"This is no mine. It's a tomb!"

"What? No! Noo!" Gimli moaned.

Legolas grabbed a used arrow that was on the ground.

"Goblins!" he spat.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan. It is a better risk than this one," said Boromir."

A yelp came from behind.

"Strider!" Sam yelled.

They turned and gasped to see Frodo dangling from a giant tentacle.

"Help!" he screamed.

Sam got a clean swipe at the arm and it dropped Frodo in the water.

Suddenly an entire comes out of the water with many tentacles and picks him up again. He yelled again.

Boromir and Aragorn used their swords to cut off arms, while Abigail and Legolas aimed with their bows.

Legolas stuns the Watcher, and gives Boromir the chance the slice the arm holding Frodo. The hobbit fell, but thankfully Boromir caught him.

"Into the mines!" said Gandalf.

"Legolas, Abigail!" Boromir said.

Abigail was the first to latch an arrow. "Aragorn, to the side!" she yelled. He moved and she had a clear shot of the eye. She let go and missed.

"Dammit!" She whispered. Legolas was focused with the other hobbits so Abby got another arrow. She moved up closer for a better shot. This time she hit directly in the eye.

The monster squealed and flailed its arms wildly at the hoping to hit something.

It slammed into the gates and the stone doors stared to collapse. A long tentacle shot out, and hit Abigail and Sam who were still close to the doors. They flew back into the stair and landed with a thud.

Then, there was darkness.

Gandalf lit his staff and Aragorn rushed toward her while Legolas went to Sam.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Abby said, but she still winced as he helped her up.

"I should thank it, really, it helped crack my back," she tried to laugh it off.

Aragorn didn't looked convince.

"Really, nothings damaged," she said seriously. "You should worry about the group as a whole. What do we do now Gandalf?"

He looked up warily.

"We have but one choice. We must face the darkness that is Moria, but beware. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the pits of the mines."

The group nodded, but no one could actually speak. They just turned around and tried to ignore the sense of dread in their minds.

"It is wise to stay silent. It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."

With that cheerful note, another long walk started.

Not much to say, since I really need to hurry up and go to bed!

Thanks to Reviewers:

Mandapandape: I'm not too good at lovey-dovey things but I try. Thanks!

ArwenEvenstar83: No worries, mate! I check my mail obsessively for reviews because I have to life. Cheers!

Chaos Queen2.0: I do try with the spelling. I'm glad to see your still with me and still enjoying!

Narnian Sprite: I have a friend like you, she likes to wear flip-flops everywhere. She even wears them in the snow. Thanks for the nice thoughts!

Oh yeah, translations!

Saruman's Spell: Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!

Gandalf's Spell: Sleep Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!

Have fun with whatever you decide to do next! (Though I do suggest reviewing)

-MysticNight9


	22. The Mines Of Moria, Part 1

Sorry for the wait. I'm not the best at fighting scenes so you will have to bear with me. So, let's move on, shall we?

Disclaimer: I give little credit to my self, and loads to J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson. I own no part of Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 21 Recap:

"We have but one choice. We must face the darkness that is Moria, but beware. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the pits of the mines."

The group nodded, but no one could actually speak. They just turned around and tried to ignore the sense of dread in their minds.

"It is wise to stay silent. It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."

With that cheerful note, another long walk started.

Chapter 22:

It had now been three days in Moria. Three days of shuffling through the damp dirt, debris and bones of the floors. Three days where fresh air was replaced with soot and rock. Three days of echoing silence.

Moria was as bad as Abigail imagined, and she felt she was slowly going crazy. It seemed dangerous to breath in the atmosphere. She didn't think she was the only one feeling like this. Well, except for Gimli maybe, but he was still shocked at the site of seeing the bodies of his fellow dwarves. The mines, in short, put everyone in a fairly depressing mood.

Still, no one stopped, save for the short night's sleep. Either they walked on ledges peering over dip pits or the scaled failing stairs.

Early, on the fourth day, the group stopped where the path split into three doors.

"I have no memory of this place," said Gandalf, surprised at his own voice.

Abigail groaned inwardly. Now they would just have to stay down here longer. She just sat down, and attempted to sharpen her daggers. The rest of the company took to similar mindless chores, or just stared at each other.

About 15 minutes later, Abigail noticed some sort of…thing crawling up the step towards them. She was about to move to tell someone, when she heard Frodo beat her to it.

"There's something down there," he said.

"It's Gollum," Gandalf said casually.

Abigail rolled her eyes and tuned out again. She wasn't surprised either; she had been informed of Gollum. No doubt they would of released him Barad-Dûr and let him wonder his way back to his "precious." She listened back to Gandalf to hear him finish another lecture to Frodo.

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought."

'I honestly wonder if they prepare these speeches? It sound so perfectly rehearsed,' she thought.

"Ahh, it's this way!" Gandalf exclaimed, nodded toward a portal.

"He's remembered," said Merry happily.

"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here," he explained as he moved. He paused and turned to look at Merry. "If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose," he said with small smile.

"Let's hope it leads us to a big platter of 'taters," mumbled Sam.

Abigail heard him and chuckled.

The tight path down the tunnel was short lived, and they soon came out into the open.

"Let me risk a little more light," Gandalf said softly. His staff illuminated more, spreading a white glow in front of them.

Everyone gasped as it revealed a huge hall with huge, carved pillars and arched ceilings as far as the eye can see.

"Behold! The great realm and Dwarf-city of Dwarrodelf."

"There's an eye-opener for you," said Pippin breathlessly.

"If all of Moria was like this, I could get use to it," said Abigail.

"Maybe I as well," agreed Legolas.

All of a sudden, Gimli cried out and ran towards a lighted chamber.

"Gimli?" Aragorn said.

Gimli kept running, and the rest shortly followed. He reached a crypt and kneeled down.

"No!" the dwarf cried.

Gandalf stepped forward and began to translate.

"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." Gandalf sighed. "He is dead, then. It's as I feared."

Gimli banged his head against the stone.

Gandalf picked up a decaying book from a corps and started to read it.

"They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long."

Abigail studies the room, walking slowly in a small circle.

'Something's not right,' she thought. 'We shouldn't be here.'

"The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep," Gandalf continues.

She had the awful feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something horrible was coming. Her head was twitching as she glanced nervously around the room.

"We cannot get out. A Shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming."

She started to back up slowly towards the door, her face paling with each step.

"Abigail?" Frodo asked quietly.

There was a crash, and everyone's attention, except for hers, went towards Pippin.

A body fell down the well, with a bucket following. The sounds rang throughout the caves and in-between the walls it seemed.

"Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity," Gandalf scolded. Pippin looked very guilty.

"We cannot linger here," Abigail spoke in a dangerous whisper.

Eyes fell back towards her. Expressions of worry were thrown around. She was even shaking a little.

"What do you mean? What's wrong?" Aragorn asked. Legolas took a step towards her and went to put a hand on her.

"We need to go. Now!" she said quickly and louder. She spun around and moved to leave the room.

She was stopped immediately by one hollow sound.

"Boom."

A low drum sound came from below. Followed by another, and another. The beats moved faster, sounding like a war chant. Shrill screams were heard next, with marching coming closer.

"Too late," Abigail said.

She backed away from the door now, as Aragorn and Boromir rushed towards it. They pretty much realized what was about to happen, and thought it would be better if the door were closed.

(A/N-Ahh, it's sooo tempting to leave you with a horrible cliffy! But since you've so been good and patient…I'll continue)

Frodo unsheathed his sword and noticed it was glowing blue.

"Orcs!" Legolas spat.

"Probably a fair number of goblins still down here too," added Abigail.

The doors slammed shut, and Aragorn found some axes to lock it.

"You haven't heard the best news. They have a cave troll," said Boromir.

"Stay back and stick close to Gandalf," Aragorn told the hobbits. He turned to her. "You as well, Abigail."

"Oh, no!" she immediately protested. "You are not getting rid of me this time. You are going to need be up front."

With letting him saw another word she pulled out her bow and loaded it, but her trusty daggers will still at her sides, of course.

Aragorn decided he didn't have time to argue, and unwrapped his bow too.

Legolas, as always, had his bow out, Boromir was standing nearby with his swords and Gimli leaped on top of the tomb with his axe in hand.

"Let them come!" he taunted. "There is one dwarf in Moria that still draws breath!"

The orcs started to chop their way through the door. As soon as a hole was made, the three with arrows started shooting. Soon, though, the doors were broken down completely and the swarm of enemies came through hard.

Abigail threw her bow safely to the side, drew her daggers and spun them around to prepare a fighting stance.

Two orcs came straight at her. She ducked down and stuck a dagger in their stomachs. As soon as she pulled them out, they fell down dead.

'Two down,' she thought.

Another one came from the side, so she used one hand to pull him forward, and used the other to stab him in the back. She was happy to find that her training with Haldir wasn't wasted, as she continued to slice and stab her way through the crowd

Each company was lost in their own little world of fighting, using their weapon of choice. Even the hobbits were holding their own, especially Sam with his frying pan.

Suddenly, things got a bit trickier as the cave troll came stomping in. Legolas took a chance to shoot a few arrows at it, but soon had to move back to avoid the swinging chain the creature used as a tool.

Abigail tried to move forward to pick up her bow again, but she was outnumbered five to one. It was a bit nerve wracking because they weren't charging, but approaching slowly. She realized too late that she was being separated again.

'Never get backed into a corner, rule number 11,' she thought.

She gave up on waiting, and made the first move. She started with the most left orc, by faking left then swing around to stab him in the gut. This made a small gap for her to squeeze by. The next closest orc made a move, but she found a piece of higher ground and simply smashed a dagger into his head. She continued to climb, until she reached a porch of sorts, and took a moment to see what was going on.

Gimli, Boromir and Legolas were still towards the front of the room, while Gandalf and three hobbits were in the middle. Both these teams were mainly fighting orcs and goblins.

'What is the troll doing?'

She peered over the pillar and saw the beast swing his chain again, towards something against the wall.

She ran closer, and realized that something was Frodo and Aragorn.

'Not good,' she thought. Realizing she was on the same level as them, she ran towards the fight.

She was about 20 feet from them, when the troll picked up a spear.

'I need to distract it!'

She couldn't use her powers; the risk of being sensed was too high. She decided on the primitive idea, and picked up a large rock and threw it.

"Over hear, ya brute!" she yelled.

"Abigail, what are you doing?" Aragorn shouted.

"It's the ring that matters, get Frodo away!"

She had gotten the trolls attention and it moved towards her. It jabbed at her with the long spear, but she jumped aside just in time. It did the same move, and she jumped away again, this time behind a pillar. Next, though, the troll crashed into the pillar and it started to fall apart. Large pieces of stone were about to fall on her.

'Umm, time to go!' she thought, and she jumped off the ledge and back onto the first level. This gave her a bit of a head rush, but she regained her mind as orcs were now coming.

Soon, she heard someone yell,

"Frodo!"

She turned just in time to see the halfing impaled by the troll.

"No!" she screamed in rage. She fought now with fury, moving faster and harder. The others were doing the same. Shortly, it seemed, the room had been cleared. Abigail went back up to the second level, and rushed to Aragorn's side that was kneeling over Frodo.

"He can't be…he just can't!" she whispered.

Aragorn pulled out the spear and sat Frodo up against the wall.

Miraculously, Frodo took a sharp breath in and opened his eyes.

"He's alive!" Sam cried joyfully.

"Yes, I'm alright. I'm not hurt," said a stunned Frodo.

"Y-you should be dead!" stuttered Abby.

"That spear would have skewered a wild boar.

Gandalf smirked. "I think there is more to the hobbit than meets the eye."

Frodo pulled down his shirt to reveal a bright, chain mail shirt.

"Mithril!" said Gimli, almost delighted by the sight. "You are full of surprises Master Baggins."

They were interrupter by more shrikes and war chants coming up the corridor.

"I say we should start moving again." Suggested Abigail.

"And I say we listen to her this time," said Boromir.

Gandalf nodded curtly. "To the bridge of Khazad-Dûm."

Argh, fighting scenes are the one of the strangest things to write. I cut this off a bit shorter then I planned, but I want to get this posted and hopefully the second part will be out later today or tomorrow.

Special thanks to reviews from:

Samantha-Girl Scout: Well since you said "pwease"…

Narnian Sprite: Haha! I knew someone would think that something was going on between Boromir and Abigail. Rest be assured, they will only be friends.

ArwenEvenstar83: Yeah, I use sarcasm a lot to cover my own feelings, kind of like what Abby did there. But in that situation, I probably would start crying or something / .

Chaos Queen2.0: You hate snow? Interesting. Are you from California? JK, but I'm gald you kept reading anyway.

Mandapandape: Yes, yay for mines!

The second part to this still will be coming out this weekend.

So I'll be back soon!

-MysticNigh9


	23. The Mines Of Moria, Part 2

Nothing really interesting to report…

Disclaimer: I have not and (most likely) never will own Lord of Rings. Not even in 604,827,625,367,489 years.

Chapter 22 Recap:

"Mithril!" said Gimli, almost delighted by the sight. "You are full of surprises Master Baggins."

They were interrupter by more shrikes and war chants coming up the corridor.

"I say we should start moving again." Suggested Abigail.

"And I say we listen to her this time," said Boromir.

Gandalf nodded curtly. "To the bridge of Khazad-Dûm."

Chapter 23:

No comment was made. The last thing Abigail did was pick up her bow. The entire fellowship ran as fast as they could, but every time they looked back it seemed another 50 orcs and goblins were coming up behind them.

Soon they were coming down from the pillars and in-between every crack. They were surrounded and greatly outnumbered.

Every member held out there weapons, signaling they would fight to the very last.

"If this is our end, it's been a pleasure," Abigail said, with all seriousness.

"I am sure everyone could say the same," said Aragorn quietly, who was standing beside her.

Abigail only gave a small, but thankful, smile. Though she didn't know if he meant that it was a pleasure to be with her, or if he felt the same about the entire group.

However there was no time to dwell on it, because a strange orange glow came from the far side of the hall. And Abigail was sure she heard a growl of some sort.

A new look of fear came upon the orcs faces, and they disappeared as quickly as they came.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked Gandalf.

The old wizard closed his eyes, as if he were in pain.

"A Balrog," he spoke slowly. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!"

Abigail didn't need to be told twice. She would rather run back to the troll then face a demon.

They found the long stairs leading out of the city and towards the bridge of Khazad-Dûm. The entire cave was now lit by the red and orange glow, and the temperature was increasing.

'It must be a balrog of flame,' Abby thought.

There was gap in-between the stairs. She peered down and the pit didn't seem to have an end.

Legolas jumped first, and then motioned for Gandalf to come. Next Boromir went, carrying Merry and Pippin.

Aragorn went to help Gimli, but he held up his hand.

"Nobody tosses a dwarf!"

"Gimli, just go!" yelled Abigail.

Gimli leapt forward, but landed half of the edge. Thankfully, Legolas's quick reflexes grabbed his beard and pulled him over.

"Abigail, go!" Aragorn ordered.

She took a small step back, and pushed forward with all her might.

Gandalf and Boromir both grabbed a shoulder and steadied her as she landed.

She turned around, and was now in the front.

"Sam!" she called, and reached out her hand.

The hobbit hesitated, but put his trust in Abigail.

She caught him even before he landed all the way.

Now only Aragorn and Frodo were left. It looked like Aragorn was about to toss Frodo, but then the end of the stairs gave away. They hurried backwards, but the top of the stairs broke off too. All they had now was a small platform.

A crack was heard from below, as the foundation gave way.

"Steady," Aragorn reassured. "Hang on and lean forward."

'Come on, you can make,' Abigail thought.

Their weight made the stairs move forward and they jumped off as it collided with the others.

"Hurry! Keep moving!" Gandalf urged.

They reached the thin, stone bridge and crossed carefully.

But after they were all over, Gandalf stopped in the middle.

Then the Balrog came into sight. It was as tall as the ceiling, and looked like it was made of molten rock with fire dripping everywhere. Its curved horns made it even more demon like.

"You cannot pass!"

"Gandalf!" Frodo cried.

'What is he doing?' Abigail panicked. Suddenly, and image passed before her eyes.

_The bride was in half, and Gandalf was hanging on for his life. He let go, or lost his grip or something. Either way, it was certain he fell into a tomb of shadow._

She blinked and looked up to see Gandalf crossing his sword with is staff, trying to ward off the creature.

"YOU…SHALL…NOT…PASS!" he raged.

"I'm not going to wait and see if this vision comes true," she muttered.

She pushed passed the men and ran towards the bridge.

"Abigail!" shouted Legolas. He was about to grab her, she could tell.

'Sorry, Legolas,' she thought. She used her power and made it so he couldn't move.

"Aragorn," was all the elf could manage.

The ranger, who had been so focused on Gandalf, turned to where Legolas was pointing.

"Abigail, STOP!" he said in horror.

She ignored all of them.

She was almost down the stairs when the bride broke in half.

'No,' she thought. The vision was happening.

As she reached the end of the bride, Gandalf was pulled back the whip.

She ran faster.

She was close enough to hear him say, "Fly you fools."

She slid down to grab him, but a second before he let go.

"No!" she screamed.

Her hand was grabbing at where Gandalf was just a moment ago.

'I was right there, how did I miss?'

She tried to sense him with her power; tried to find him so she could levitate him back up.

There was nothing.

"Gandalf!" Frodo cried out.

Abigail stood up, shocked. It was her fault.

The others just stared in disbelief.

Boromir came around first. He picked up Frodo, forcing him to leave.

"The exit is close, we must leave," he said.

There was a silent agreement.

"Aragorn, try to get Abigail," Legolas said as he continued to fire arrows.

Aragorn barely comprehended what he said. Time seemed to stop. Even the crumbling walls and the shooting arrows moved slower.

Abigail knew she had to leave, though she was reluctant to do so. As she was leaving the bride, a pain shot through her thigh. She looked down and saw an arrow sticking out.

She felt numb, though, and merely pulled it out. She ran at half speed up the stairs. Aragorn was waiting for her, but Abigail couldn't face him. He seemed to feel the same way, because he just turned around and followed her out the exit.

The light was almost painful as Abigail came above the ground. She finally actually noticed that the arrow wound was painful. She turned away, not wanting anyone to see it. She didn't feel like talking to anyone. She ripped off a piece of her skirt and tied it around her thigh, attempting to stop the bleeding.

Everyone had battle scar of sorts. Merry, Pippin, Same and Frodo looked mostly bruised with a few scratches. Gimli's nose was swollen, and most likely broken. Legolas had a cut along his outer left arm, while Boromir had a deep gash on his forehead. It was hard to tell if Aragorn was hurt, but she thought she saw a wet patch of blood on the back of his dark shirt.

The one wound everyone shared was the sadness in their eyes. Some were crying, some were angry and hiding it and some were still couldn't believe he was gone.

Abigail wished she had known him better now. Spent some more time with the old man who had always shown her such kindness.

Aragorn found his voice.

"Legolas, get them up," he said.

The poor elf looked reluctant.

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake," reasoned Boromir.

Aragorn shook his head. "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the Woods of Lothlórien."

Abigail's head perked up a little at the name Lothlórien. She was going home!

(A/n-This was where I was going to stop it, but I'll give you a bit of a teaser since I split this chapter up into two days. I know it seems weird to do this, but if I hadn't the mines of moria part would be super long, and overall I wanted some more time to think about the loss of Gandalf. Anyway, please continue)

The new fellowship of nine was quiet for most of the walk. At some time, Abigail fell in step with Boromir.

"Are you alright? That cut looks nasty," she said.

He touched the cut on his forehead lightly.

"It's not so bad. Just gives me a bit of a headache."

He looked down.

"Good lord, Abigail, what happened to your leg?"

She blood had socked through her bandage and her skirt before it stopped bleeding, and she had not had the time to clean it off yet.

"Oh, that. It looks worse then it really is. Stupid arrow hit me when I was on the bridge."

"You should not be walking on that-"

"I'm fine," she interrupted. "We don't need to stop on my account."

"Don't be so stubborn, Abby," he lectured.

Now that they were close friends, Boromir slipped her nickname out now and then.

"You are a valued member of this group, you do not need to be stronger or something stupid like that."

She cracked a smile.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Who would of thought you would be scolding me on equality on this quest."

He looked slightly embarrassed.

"I was rash at the start of all this, but I did apologize, didn't I?"

"No worries, Boromir, I was not trying to guilt you, merely thinking about how people have changed."

"You've changed," he said suddenly.

"How so?"

"When I first met you, you were quiet and a thinker. You would never as been so idiotic and compulsive like run out on a cracked bridge when a Balrog was on it."

"In my defense, the balrog was gone by the time I actually made it to the bridge."

He sighed. "My point is you were not thinking, you could have been killed!"

"Better me then Gandalf," she mumbled bitterly.

They were in the back of the group, so now one saw him stop abruptly and pull her off to the side for a minute.

"Never, never say anything like that again, you understand?" he spoke, somewhat harshly.

She just looked at the floor.

"I am sad Gandalf is gone, but you have friends too. If you died things would be just as bad. There's nothing you can do now, but keep your oath, remember?"

He had a point, but she didn't know if she believed what he was saying. She nodded anyway, though, just to give him some comfort.

"Alright then," he said gently. He hugged her shoulder softly, and they began walking again."

(A/n- you can all go "awwww" now. But I will repeat, Abigail and Boromir are ONLY FRIENDS)

Gimli was telling some story about a witch, when Abby was walking next to Legolas.

"Aren't you going to correct him?" he asked.

She chuckled. "Of course not. It's funny to hear these crazy versions of Lady Galadriel."

He rolled his eyes. "Are you excited to see them again?"

Her mood sobered again.

"Yes and no. It will be strange because it seems like it has been forever. So much has happened. And you know elvish customs."

"Which one?"

"I'm going to be treated as a member or this fellowship, not member of the woods. As far as they are concerned, I could be the enemy."

"I didn't think they would enforce that."

"Times are dark, and all cautions are up. The elves are becoming stricter with whom they can call friends. Surely you noticed similar emotions in Mirkwood."

He thought back.

"Now that you mention it, tension did seem higher right before I left. One of my friends told me he was searched after coming back from a simple hunt."

She nodded in agreement.

"Mr.Frodo?" Sam said.

Abigail looked back and saw a worried confused Frodo.

'Oh, stop scaring the poor lad, Galadriel,' she thought.

'_And what troubles weigh your heart so?_' her voice responded in her head.

She smiled. "We must be reaching the borders," she muttered to herself.

On cue, hooded elves appeared from behind the trees with arrows ready to fire.

"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark," a voice said behind her.

Abigail felt tears wanting to brim her eyes, but she held them back. She had missed his voice so much, she thought.

'Haldir.'

Oh, how will the reunions go? You'll just have to wait and see!

(Angry readers run at her with pitchforks)

Readers: We waited a whole week for a chapter and now you leave us with this?

MN9: (Gulp) Well, here are (dodge) some awesome people (duck) who responded quickly-Ow that hurt!

Thanks to reviewers:

Narnian Sprite: Lol, indeed, hurray for butt-kicking women everywhere!

Samantha-Girl Scout: No worries, I'm not giving up anytime soon. You can say a regular 'please' and I'll still write.

Izzy: Hi there, I'm MN9's friend. She's busy hiding from a mob of readers, so I'll say goodbye for her. (Reads off notecards) Umm, she says to please review and, um, oh god her handwriting sucks. Review and…buy cookies? Ugh, this is her grocery list! Well, you know what to do. I'll see you guys around!

-MysticNight9


	24. Not The Welcome We Were Expecting

Izzy: Hello! It's Izzy, again. I'll be around now and then to some nice comic relief and to give you all a break from mean Mystic.

MN9: Hey! First of all, I am so not mean-

Readers: Tell us that when you don't update in a week, you have horrible typo's and you leave us with awful cliffies!

MN9: Whatever. And second of all, Izzy's also here so I can tell dumb blonde jokes.

Izzy: Which is really quite unfair because I'm not dumb at all, and I'm more of a golden brown then blonde.

MN9: What's 2 plus 2?

Izzy: That's easy it's…erm…22?

MN9: (sigh) Let's just start this chapter before she hurts herself.

Izzy: No wait, it's 4! 4!

MN9: Too late.

Izzy: Nooooo!

Disclaimer: Since I had such a complicated introduction, I'll keep this part simple. I don't own Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 23 Recap:

"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark," a voice said behind her.

Abigail felt tears wanting to brim her eyes, but she held them back. She had missed his voice so much, she thought.

'Haldir.'

Chapter 24:

She didn't move, even though she would love to face him. She stayed focused on the elf in front of her. He was young and must have been new to the guard. He was smirking at her, though, and that made her remember his face.

"_You better hope my finger doesn't slip and let go of the bow, my lady_," he said smugly.

"_And you should hope my dagger doesn't suddenly pop out of my belt, sir Carnil."_ Her tone managed to stay calm, but she spoke his name angrily.

(A/n- Carnil is the twin brother of Hanwu, they are the mean elves from chapter 11)

Only Aragorn and Legolas understood elvish, but even then they were still confused. But Aragorn knew it wasn't the best time to be giving threats, so he put a steady hand on Abigail's shoulder.

"Peace," he whispered.

She took a deep breath and relaxed, but didn't take her eyes off Carnil.

Haldir made a motion for the fellowship to follow him. As he walked by Abigail managed to catch his eye for a second, but they soon focused back to the task on hand.

"_Move,_" Carnil said, and gave her a nasty shove in the back. She was getting ready to hit him, when someone grabbed Carnil roughly by the arm.

"_That was uncalled for. Go stand in the front where I can watch you_," the man ordered.

Abigail saw it was Arphenon. She offered him a small smile, and she could have sworn he winked at her.

No conversation was allowed as they walked through the woods. But Abigail soon realized Haldir was leading them to the southeast borders, away from the city. It was as she feared, they were not welcome. About 10 to 15 minutes later, they stopped in a small clearing. Abby knew it was meant to be a resting spot for watches, but she doubted they were here to rest.

"_Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion," _Haldir spoke to Legolas.

"_Govannas vîn gwennen le, Haldir o Lórien._" He replied.

"_Don't thank me yet_," said Haldir seriously.

(Translations: Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil. Our Fellowship stands in your debt, Haldir of Lorien)

The captain took a step towards Aragorn.

"_A Aragorn in Dúnedain istannen le ammen."_

(And Aragorn of the Dunedain, you are known to us)

"Haldir," Aragorn responded.

"_Lady Abigail. You have returned to the woods in one piece."_

Obviously they were keeping it formal.

"_Yes, sir Haldir, it is nice to be in familiar territory again_," she bowed her head a little.

Aragorn was a bit surprised at this interaction. They acted as if they weren't close at all.

Aragorn looked to Legolas.

He shook his head and mouthed, "Later."

Haldir stopped at Frodo.

"And you, you bring great evil with you."

Frodo stared at the forest floor.

"You can go no further," he announced to the entire fellowship.

They all looked dismayed, Boromir gave her a pointed look. She nodded, and approached Haldir who was on the other side now, against a tree.

"_Captain Haldir?"_ she asked.

"_I have been given strict orders from Lord Celeborn, no one is to be let in_," he said.

She was slightly hurt at his tone.

'So he really is sticking to the rules this time. I can't blame him, though, so I'll just go along,' she thought.

"_So are you saying we've come all this way and we can't even get one good's night rest?_"

For a moment, a truly sorry look was in his face, but he kept up appearances like a true captain.

"_We don't know where you've been or who could be following you. Do you want to jeopardize the entire city?"_

They began to argue with hushed voices.

The fellowship wasn't allowed to leave the area, but they could relax. Most sat down and tended to themselves or their gear.

"So who wants to tell me why she can't enter her own home?" Gimli asked. The dwarf was sitting with Aragorn and Legolas.

"It's part of a decree, made a long time ago," Legolas explained. "During wars, one of the largest problems were spies. Elves liked to provide hospitality to those in need and sometimes it gave spies the opportunity to slip in and out of elven cities. For one small city of elves in the west, it caused their downfall. It was then they realized they needed to be stricter on whom they allowed to stay and where they could stay. Travelers, wanderers and even some of their own people were questions and searched constantly. Now, the rule is only enforced during in a time of war."

"So even if they know Abigail, she's a suspect?" Aragorn said.

"She's been gone for a while, and then she comes backs she brings whole

group of strangers. I doubt Haldir likes to do this, but if he's been ordered he has no choice. He is an example to his people," Legolas continued. "Lord Elrond didn't want the ring in his city, so why would Lord Celeborn or Lady Galadriel?"

"Still, I don't understand why they can't be civil to her," Gimli said.

"It is another small part of the custom. In a case like this, when you travel with a foreign group or fellowship, you are to be treated as they are treated. Since we are not wanted, she is not wanted."

"Not exactly fair to the poor lass, is it?" said Gimli.

They just nodded, and let their eyes wander back the arguing pair.

Back With Abby

"_Abigail, you know as well as I what danger that ring brings. You have witnessed it first hand._"

"_Captain, I assure you I wish no harm to Lorien, but we are tired, hungry and hurt. We have suffered enough, I beg you to at least let us stop in the city for a moment. Then we will leave."_

Haldir looked as if he was giving in.

"_If I had it my way, you would stay, believe me,"_ he said.

Her face softened. "_I understand your dilemma, but I'm begging you we need your help. Let us heal before we lose someone else_." She said that last part in a whisper.

Haldir gave her a quizzical look and scanned the crowd.

"_Gandalf_?"

She hung her head.

"_It might be safe to say the situation is…different from what we expected. I'm afraid the best I can do is present you to the Lord and Lady. They can pass judgement."_

She smiled. "_That is all we need. I would not be surprised if Lady Galadriel is already expecting us."_

"_Doesn't she always know something we don't_," he complained silently.

He nodded to his group of elves, and they walked back towards the fellowship.

"You will follow me," he ordered, back in his 'captain mode'.

Haldir led them on a series of paths out of the forest and to the hill that overlooked the city.

"Caras Galadhon," Abigail said happily. "It looks magnificent when the sun is setting.

Indeed, a lovely pink and orange haze was covering the city.

"Yes, Caras Galadhon, the heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, lady of light," Haldir said proudly. "Come, we must be inside the city before nightfall."

Next they went on a straight path that led to the center of the city. A few crowds gathered on the sides to watch the newcomers file in.

"I see we're taking the grand entrance," said Boromir.

"Only the best for me," Abigail said.

"You must be joking."

They went up a staircase that was winding around a white tree.

At the top, there was a gazebo type sanctuary. Just ahead was a shorter stack of steps, the ones that led to the grand court.

Shortly after they stopped, a brilliant light came from above, as Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel descended, hand in hand.

Legolas and Aragorn both bowed their heads respectively (partly to shield their eyes as well), and the others followed suit.

Abigail went into a full-out curtsey. This was not her first meeting with the lady, of course, but the feeling of great honor and respect never left.

It was lord Celeborn who spoke first this time.

"The Enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone."

Haldir looked worried, but Abigail gave him a reassuring look. She would take any blame there was going to be given.

Celeborn went on.

"Nine that are here yet ten there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him. I can no longer see him from afar."

Galadriel looked at Aragorn, and retrieved the answer from inside.

"Gandalf the Grey did not cross into these borders. He has fallen into Shadow."

Celeborn looked at his wife, amazed and disturbed by this news.

"He was not only taken by shadow, but flame as well," answered Legolas slowly. "A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into Moria."

"No deeds of Gandalf were needless. We have not yet realized his full purpose," the lady said.

Abigail was both comforted and confused by her words.

"And what becomes of the Fellowship now? Without Gandalf, hope is lost," Celeborn said and frowned.

"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail to the ruin of all."

Galadriel turned her mouth into a trace of a smile.

"Yet hope remains while the company is true."

Her gaze lingered on Sam.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil."

She kept talking, but Abigail stopped listening. She heard what she needed; they were given permission to stay. She couldn't wait to see Authion and Rodwen. Someone else joined her thoughts.

"_You have realized the dark side of your powers. But Gandalf's disappearance was not of your fault. Your Gondorian companion is right, be joyful with who you still have."_

'Thank you,' she thought, and she could only hope Galadriel heard it. Yet she wondered why the lady chose the word "disappearance" and not "death".

The rest of the company was filing out, but Abigail lingered. Boromir noticed she wasn't following.

"I will find you all later," was all she said.

He shrugged and walked out.

When it was safe, she ran with all her might to her favorite elf captain. She didn't care if the Lord and Lady were still here; she gave him a tight hug anyway.

Haldir returned the hug, and kissed her gently on the head.

"That's it, you are never leaving here!" he said.

She laughed. She even missed how he mock scolded her.

"Whatever you say, Haldir."

She gave him another hug.

"Oh, and you didn't miss me at all?" a 'hurt' Arphenon said.

"It's always a vacation to get away from you!" she joked.

Arphenon ruffled her hair.

"Hey!"

"What? It already looked terrible."

She groaned. "Authion's a bad influence on you."

"Speaking of which, everyone's at the house waiting for you," Haldir said. "I bet you would rather have a shower and take a nap in your own bed, though."

"Don't I have to stay with the Fellowship?"

"Nonsense. You have the blessing of the royals. That means that decree has been terminated for you," said Arphenon.

"And do you really think I'm going to let you sleep on the floor, unsupervised, with all those men?" Haldir asked.

"I suppose not. Let's go home."

She smiled. "It feels nice say that."

They smiled back.

"Even if it's only temporary," she said somewhat sadly to herself.

She brushed it off. She was determined to be excited and happy. It was time for a reunion of friends.

The next few chapters will have a lot of talk, since the Abby has a lot of catching up to do and the time in Lorien is suppose to be kind of relaxing for the fellowship's sake.

In other news, I have lots of reviews and new reviewers!

Many, many thanks to:

Narnian Sprite: I love to write the nice side of Boromir, because in the movie we only see a few good things about him, like saving Merry and Pippin. And then he dies! So unfair. Anyway, thank you!

ArwenEvenstar83: It's a safe bet to say I'd be afraid of an orc. But I would force myself to kill it just to be rid of the smell!. Lol, thanks for the happy words!

Samantha-Girl Scout: I think there's about two ways you can look at mobs. You can be flattered that there is such a big group that cares about your story, or be terrified about the fact they want to hurt you.

asotin.gurl34: Hello new reviewer! I'm glad you like my story and I hope to hear from you again. Thank you!

The Demon Goddess of Death: Another new reader! Haha, I guess the actor who plays Haldir does kind of have a big nose. Interesting fact. Please review again, thanks!

Daughter of Arabia: Happy to hear you enjoying my work! I hope to read your thoughts again. Thanks!

Oh, and I reminder for everyone, check out my profile if you want to see where I'm at with writing and so forth. I try to let you guys know when to expect another chapter.

I posted this chapter a lot sooner then I expected.

And the decree things completely made up. I needed some reason on why they wouldn't let Abby in right away.

Until later!

Izzy: Don't I get to say goodbye? Goodbye people!

MN9: Maybe it was a mistake to bring Izzy here.

Izzy: No, no don't worry I'll be good (places halo on head). See?

MN9: (chokes on own spit from laughing so hard)

Izzy: Grr…

-MysticNight9


	25. At Home and In Mourning

Interesting fact. The other night I was trying to map out how long this story is going to be. If my calculations are close, then we are only about halfway there. And we're still only in the first book. Phew, I got a lot of typing to do.

Izzy: Not to mention all the editing you have to do.

Readers: Yeah, go fix your typo's!

MN9: You had to remind them, didn't you Izzy?  
Izzy: (smile) Your welcome.

MN9: Before we have a repeat of last week, let's begin.

Disclaimer: I have a secret. No come closer…I DON'T OWN ANY PART OF LORD OF THE RINGS! You get that?

Lawyers: (nod in fear)

MN9: Good.

Chapter 24 Recap:

"Let's go home."

She smiled. "It feels nice say that."

They smiled back.

"Even if it's only temporary," she said somewhat sadly to herself.

She brushed it off. She was determined to be excited and happy. It was time for a reunion of friends.

Chapter 25:

"Abigail, are you limping?" Arphenon asked, when they were halfway to the house.

"Ha, I almost forgot about that. Took an arrow in the leg back at the mines," she said sheepishly.

"And Aragorn allowed you to walk all day on it! Oh, when I see him I'm-"

"Easy, Haldir. He didn't know, and we had to leave Moria as soon as possible," she explained.

"Well, at least lean on me and take some weight off it," he pleaded.

"Fine," she sighed, and slung one arm around his shoulder. "While we are on the subject of threats, who the hell let Carnil on the guard?"

"Watch your language dear," Arphenon reminded.

She rolled her eyes, "Haldir?"

"He's one heck of a swordsman, I couldn't ignore that. The number of members is dwindeling, with so many leaving the forest. If someone is willing, I'm not going to say no. Plus, his father is the 4th marshal, so he had a bit of a say in it too," he added.

"It must be really bad if they let him join," she mumbled. "What about Hanwu?"

Arphenon laughed. "Even their father had to admit Hanwu is an idiot and not to be let near anything sharp."

She smiled. "At least one things didn't change when I was gone."

"I'd watch your back if I were you, though," warned Arphenon.

"What, for Carnil and Hanwu?"

"Maybe," he admitted. "They were always objective of you being you. But I was referring to Rodwen?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with Rodwen?"

"Well, since you failed to inform us of your entire plan, she was furious with the fact that you missed the birth of her son."

Abby palled. "Oh no…you're…you're serious she already had the-did you say son?"

"That was a lovely sentence," said Haldir sarcastically. "And yes, Rodwen had a boy."

"That's so wonderful. Finwe must be ecstatic!"

"Indeed, but it was Authion who could not stop bragging about his new nephew."

"No doubt," she chuckled.

They reached the front of the house.

"Now out of my way," she squirmed out of Haldir grip and barged into the house.

"Now where is the little guy?" she called out.

She walked into the main room where everyone was just staring at her, jaws dropped (everyone meaning Rodwen, Finwe, Authion and Merilien).

Abigail spotted the baby right away.

"My, isn't he adorable!" she squealed.

"Why thank you Abby, I knew you would come around one of these days," Authion smiled.

"Idiot. It's a good thing I'm back to deflate your ego," she grinned back.

He stood up and moved to give her a hug, but Rodwen shoved him down.

"Ladies first, brother, you can wait your turn," she said.

She focused back on Abigail and gave her a tight hug.

"Rodwen, I'm so, so sorry, I missed the birth, I didn't plan on-"

"Don't worry, Hadlir pretty much answered everything. Your trying to save the world, can't hate you for that can I?"

"No, but you might hate me if I ruin you dress. You might want to take a step back?"

"Huh?" Rodwen was confused.

Abigail motioned to her leg.

"Blood and lace don't mix," she said casually.

Merilien jumped out of her chair.

"By the Valar, child, why are you still standing. In the washroom, now! Shoo, shoo!" She waved her arms

"Nice to see you too, Merilien," Abigail said.

Merilien just continued to push her out of the room, and Rodwen followed.

"Hello Finwe! Congratulation on your son!" Abigail called over her shoulder.

"Thank you, welcome back!" he replied.

The four men just chuckled.

"She seems the same," Arphenon said.

"No she's different, even though it's only been about a month," said Authion.

The others just shrugged.

The more accurate truth was that she had changed in Authion's eyes. Seeing her again gave a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach, but the last thing he wanted to do was admit Rodwen was right.

"Your stamina will never cease to amaze me, dear," sighed Merilien as she bandaged Abigail's leg.

"Really. Most female elves you age would faint at the sight of blood," agreed Rodwen. "Then again, we already know your crazy for jumping into that Fellowship (Abigail had explained their journey a bit, but left out some detail's, like the Nazgûl).

"It was an impulse, but I don't regret I," Abigail admitted. "It will always be strange, being the only woman, but at the same time the experience has felt right. What I'm doing feels necessary if there is to be a change for good in Middle Earth."

"Well, more power to you, child," said Merilien. "But we're going to be worried sick, you realize. Mordor…I just can't believe," she turned her head away.

"Please don't cry mother, because then you'll get me started," Rodwen said, her voice already cracking.

"Listen, it's going to be fine. I couldn't ask for more protecting companions, and I can take care of myself. I won't lose to a creep like Sauron," she said, not knowing if that really provided any comfort.

"I'll give you bonus point on your companions. Are you really traveling with Prince Legolas?" Rodwen asked.

"Yes, but may I remind you that you are married and more than likely Legolas is betrothed or something."

"Do I detect jealousy?" Rodwen grinned, perking up at the thought of matchmaking.

"No, Legolas is not quite my type, " Abby objected quickly.

"I suppose, but weren't there two mortal men as well?"

"Boromir is strictly friendly," assured Abigail. "And Aragorn…"

She paused. She didn't know how she felt about Aragorn. He was so different from her, and he already had Arwen. But then there were the rare times they talked together, or when her accidentally touched her, or when he smiled.

She ordered herself to stop.

"He's promised," she decided to stay. "He's already in love, and we don't even know each other that well. I probably know him the least out of the group, actually. And I don't think he likes me that much."

Rodwen had other suspicions, but she just nodded her head.

"I could always try the dwarf," she teased.

"Oh, bad image, there," Abigail winced. "That would be like me and Authion."

She was expecting Rodwen to laugh, but instead the elf looked towards the ceiling.

"No. You're joking, right?" Abigail asked.

"It's not like he's said it out loud, but sometimes I wonder…" she trailed off.

Abby shook her head. "You're mistaken. We always be great friends, but that's it."

"I know it doesn't matter, but I certainly wouldn't object. It would make you officially part of the family," said Merilien. "Anyway, you better go get changed, dear. Supper will be soon."

When Abigail returned, she was dressed in a flowing gray skirt, a white women's tunic and a silver thread belt.

She was excited to see huge, delicious pile of food. Merilien must have been a lot of time into this meal. The conversation was very light-hearted and enjoyable. Abigail found herself forgetting about all the troubles of the fellowship more than once.

When dishes were being washed, she excused herself for a breath of fresh air.

After few minutes outside, Authion joined her.

"I see your still avoiding dresses," he commented.

"I've gotten use to skirts," she said simply.

"You look good, no matter though,"

"You're a sight for sore eyes, too," she smiled.

She was surprised at her own tone. Had she always been this…flirty around him?

"Since Rodwen stopped me before, can I give you a proper welcome now?"

"Of course."

She gave him a friendly embrace, but in the end it seemed he pulled away more reluctantly than her.

They stood in silence, but not awkward silence. They were just enjoying the night sky.

"It's been a few days since I've seen the stars," she said suddenly.

Authion, kind of absentmindedly, started to play with her hair.

This was a new gesture for her, and now she felt awkward. She stepped away.

"Umm, I should go check on the fellowship. Make sure there not lost or anything. Can you tell Haldir for me, I shouldn't be too long, thanks!"

She was rambling, and it was obvious. Slightly embarrassed, she turned and walked away quickly.

"Damn," he whispered.

He should of known that would have been to forward. Abigail's very shy.

Abby's heart was pounding a bit more loudly. Was there some truth to what Rodwen had suggested?

She calmed down soon, thought, and walked more slowly. She noticed the elves were singing tonight, but it was a melancholy song.

"A lament for Gandalf," she thought.

She tried hard to hear the words, and sang with them a little as she caught on.

Farewell sweet earth and northern sky

For ever blest, since here did lie

And here with lissome limbs did run

Beneath the Moon, beneath the Sun

(A/n-I thought I had the actual Gandalf's Lament, but now I can't find it. This song is from the Silmarillion, and it's the song of parting of Beren and Lúthien. I thought it was fitting enough.)

Abigail only sang when she was alone. True, Rodwen had heard her sing, being her voice instructor and all. And she could be caught singing softly around Haldir now and then. But compared to the elves, Abigail never felt confident to sing to others. She was content with only having herself as an audience, though.

She shivered a little, and decided she should hurry her search so she could get back home.

"I always forget my cloak on the coldest nights," she muttered.

"Oy! Is that you Abby?"

"It'd be darn nice to see a familiar face around here, I'll tell you that."

"Gee, I wonder who that could be?" she asked out loud.

Right after that she was tackled from behind.

"It's your favorite hobbits, my lady."

"Oh, so it's Bilbo and Gaffer?"

"Now that hurts a touch, wouldn't you say so, Mer?"

"Indeed, Pip. Maybe we should leave her by her lonesome."

"Not so fast."

She grabbed Merry and Pippin by their collars. "I need you to show me where the camp is. At night, the trees look all the same."

"The tree's look the same during the day too," said Pippin.

"That's only because you haven't lived here. Now are you taking me or not?"

"Hmm…not!" they said together, and ran off.

"Drat!" she cursed, and sprinted after them.

"Pippin, Merry, please don't make me run in my dress slippers. It's rather uncomfortable!"

She caught up to Pippin first.

"Ah-ah!" she said proudly, as she grabbed him.

"Merry! I've been captured!" Pippin yelled.

"I'll save you!" Merry replied, as he pulled Abby to the ground.

"For the shire!"

The three of them started to laugh.

"Oh, sure. Right good time to be playing games," said Sam, appearing in front of them.

"Come on Sam, there's fun to go around," said Merry cheerfully.

"Did you ever think that some elves might want to sleep at this hour?" Sam said.

"I think you'd be surprised at how late elves actually stay up," said Abigail. "But I think we should apologize if the rest of the company is nearby."

"I don't think many of us are going to get sleep tonight anyways," came a softer voice. It was Frodo. Even with only the moonlight, she could see his pain.

"I suppose there is a lot to think about that would keep one awake," she said, standing up. She approached him, and crouched down.

"Will you be alright, Frodo," she asked seriously.

He said nothing for a moment, but nodded his head slowly.

"I guess I will. The song…it reminds me of him, and it makes me sad. That's the point of it, though."

"No, I understand what you mean," she said. "It is suppose to be a peaceful gesture to the dead, but to the living it can be almost painful to listen too."

He nodded again. The other hobbits were listening respectively off to the side.

"Have you heard it before?' Frodo asked.

"Not like this. Gandalf was a great man, who had good will with the entire wood. Many will mourn him tonight." She stood back up. "There is also some protection that comes with the music. It's meant to help those in pain have a dreamless sleep. It's a small comfort."

"Yes it is," he said.

"Come on, Mr. Frodo, let's get back to camp, before Strider gets all worried," said Sam.

"I'll come with, just to check on the others," Abigail followed.

"Mother hen," whispered Pippin.

"I hear that! And I am not."

Aragorn's POV (sort of)

Aragorn leaned against the boulder, eyes turned up at the sky but he wasn't really looking at anyway. He felt Lord Celeborn was right. Hope was lost without Gandalf, at least that's how it seemed right now. Maybe no one noticed, but he relied heavily on the old wizard. He would give anything for a no-sense, riddle right now.

Noise to his right caused his gaze to move. Abigail was coming, with the four hobbits in tow.

He mentally cursed himself for not even noticing they were gone. He was lucky they were in Lorien and not the wilderness. He then cursed himself again, because the only thing he had noticed was that Abigail was gone, even when he knew where she was. She looked a true member of Lorien, clad in silver and white attire.

The hobbits gathered around their beds, while she went to sit next to him.

"Can I sit down?" she asked.

He nodded.

She slid down gently, her shoulder just barely touching his.

"Where are the others?"

"They left a while ago to have their wounds checked."

"What about you? Does your back hurt?" she asked.

He looked at her, her dark blue eyes filled with concerned.

"You noticed?" his voice was dry.

"Of course I did. It's women's job to notice the details."

She sighed, quietly. Everything was quieter tonight.

"Well, I know you won't let me touch it, so will you please see a healer tomorrow. You need to take care of yourself. If not with you own will, then for our sakes."

"I know. Time just moves slower at night, when sounds are silenced. I sometimes stop noticing."

"Remind me to never let you have night watch again," she smiled. He even managed to smile a little too.

She suddenly got up, and quickly returned with a glass if water.

"You sounded parched," she said, handing him the glass.

He was taken aback, but took it anyway.

"Oh, sorry," she said, realizing how she was treating him. "I guess Pip was right, I am in feeling a bit too motherly. But I just saw my best friend's new child. She got me in the mood," she explained.

Oddly enough, he didn't mind being a bit vulnerable with her. He had never allowed it before. He was supposed to show strength and he didn't take his responsibilities lightly. But he knew she would never think less of him for it, so for now he let it go.

"It's fine," he said, his voice much stronger. "How old is the child?"

She smiled. "He's only a couple weeks and the most innocent thing I've ever seen."

"There only a few precious things left in the world that are."

He fingered his necklace gently.

It made Abigail sad to see him touch it so tenderly.

"You do miss her. Don't deny it."

"As I've said before, it's difficult, for more than one reason."

Well, if she means enough to you, then have faith. It's what fight's the darkness and doubt."

"That and hope," he added.

"And maybe love," she said, staring and the sky again.

He looked at her dark auburn hair, softly brushing past her pale skin. He resisted the small urge to pull it back, just for the excuse to touch her.

'No. Remember what she just reminded you of. Your love for Arwen,' he thought.

He was about to stand up, when she beat him to it.

"I should go back, before Haldir has a fit. I was only been back for a few hours when I left again," she said.

He stood up next, and walked with her to the edge of the camp, even if that was only about 20 feet.

"I'll find you all again tomorrow. But I promised Rodwen and Authion I'd ride with them in the morning."

"Those are the two good friends you speak of?"

"Yes. I also said I'd give the hobbits a grand tour. Your welcome to come, but I'm sure you know you way pretty well already."

"True, but it's been a while. Who knows, maybe everyone can come."

"Sounds excellent," she said, completely honest. "Well, goodnight."

She wondered for a moment if she should hug him or something, and then decided better of it.

"Tell the others I stopped by," she said, walking backwards.

"Abigail, tree," he said.

She stopped right before ramming into a big oak.

She chuckled. "Er..right then. Thanks. Goodnight!"

She turned around and walked facing forward this time.

He smiled and shook his head.

What's up with Authion? Does Abigail feel the same way? Is Aragorn having doubts?

So many question, so many possible answers.

Thanks to Reviewers:

Animeotakufreak: Short and sweet review. Thank you!

ArwenEvenstar83: I agree;fighting for my life would be too much pressure. I've been dying to learn fence for like forever, though, or something like that. Maybe someday.

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: I do think in other cases Boromir would be a good guy for her. But I've planned on having him die just like the book, which would kind of ruin any romance plans. Also, since Aragorn has prolonged life, I imagine that if he were completely mortal he would be equal to 30 something, similar to Boromir. So the age difference doesn't really matter.

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: Interesting, two reviewers for one name. Anyway, her powers will become important again. She just has to lie low for now because of the Nazgul. And yes, Aragorn will be the love interest. But honestly, it's hard to have a relationship when you're in a fellowship. Tell Jason I'm very happy my story rox his sox!

Narnian Sprite: Nothing more needs to be said. Thanks!

LOTR Lover 247: Don't worry, I didn't forget that she was suppose to be hurt. But I also figure that under the circumstances she really was able to ignore that pain.

Chaos Queen2.0: I have friends in California who feel the exact same about snow. They freak out when it's 70 degrees and I'm like, heat wave! I dunno how I feel about caves. It would be kind of cool, but I also enjoy sunlight.


	26. Just Like Old Times

Well, the good news is that the 1st semester is over for school. The bad news is that now I have to take French again, and we have a practice test the day we get back. Not cool.

Izzy: You should have taken Spanish like everyone else.

MN9: I know it's not fair. The Spanish class gets to have a fiesta while we spend 2 hours reviewing.

Izzy: C'est la vie!

MN9: Oh, ferme la bouche! (Have fun translating that!)

Disclaimer: I quote MyscitNight9 saying, "I never, ever owned Lord of the Rings".

Chapter 25 Recap:

"Yes. I also said I'd give the hobbits a grand tour. Your welcome to come, but I'm sure you know you way pretty well already."

"True, but it's been a while. Who knows, maybe everyone can come."

"Sounds excellent," she said, completely honest. "Well, goodnight."

She wondered for a moment if she should hug him or something, and then decided better of it.

"Tell the others I stopped by," she said, walking backwards.

"Abigail, tree," he said.

She stopped right before ramming into a big oak.

She chuckled. "Er..right then. Thanks. Goodnight!"

She turned around and walked facing forward this time.

He smiled and shook his head.

Chapter 26:

They had so far spent 4 beautiful and peaceful days in Lothlorien; 4 well-deserved days.

Abigail was pleased to see that many elves of the woods showed great respect and kindness towards their guests.

She, herself, and found a balance between spending time with the fellowship and her old friends. She had forgotten about the 'incident' with Authion, because he had been perfectly normal the rest of the time. In fact, she spent the more time with Authion than Rodwen, but that was because Rodwen was still busy with the baby.

Currently, though, she was having a fighting lesson with Haldir.

"Your still weak on the left side with a sword," he said, as she fell to the ground.

"That's because I would usually have a dagger in both hands," she said, brushing her self off.

"But you shouldn't get to use to one weapon. You never know if you're going to drop them or lose them in a battle."

They began to joust again, and Abigail lost her sword again as she was tripped.

"You need to adapt. What will you do without a sword?" he lectured.

"This," she said simply.

She punched him, hard, in the shoulder. He was surprised, and she took the moment to pull his arm behind, twisting it and he dropped his own sword, which she picked up.

He looked slightly stunned, but soon laughed lightly.

"Very creative," he said. "Though if I had been wearing armor your hand would be very hurt right now."

"I know," she said, smiling as well. "But I refrained myself from hitting your precious nose."

"How thoughtful of you," he took back his sword. "Should we move on to archery?"

She nodded. "I did get some good target practice in on the trip."

"Yes, I heard you have good aim when it comes to goblins."

She laughed. "Indeed. I now know what to visualize the target as."

They began to shoot arrows, with equal accuracy.

"Hmm, maybe you can finally beat Authion in one of your stupid bets."

"I already did," she smiled. "He has to clean Rodwen and mine's stable spots for a week. That reminds me, I should check if he's keeping up the bargain today."

There was silence for a few seconds, before he changed the subject.

"Do you know when you leave?" Haldir asked.

She lowered the bow she was about to fire and nodded solemnly.

"We leave in two days. Aragorn believes that would be safest. As Lord Celeborn said earlier this week, the enemy knows we are here. We must leave soon if we wish to outrun them."

Haldir looked sad, but smiled suddenly.

"What?" she asked suspiciously.

"That means they will still hold a farewell feast."

"They honestly still do that?" she rolled her eyes, and shot an arrow.

"Of course, it's traditional for such occasions as a fellowship. If you leave in two days, then it will be tomorrow night."

"The night before we leave," she said thoughtfully. "I would rather have another small dinner with Arphenon and his family."

"They will be there, though. Anyone in the city is welcome," he said.

"Well, I'm sure it will be lively enough then. Might as well go out with a bang."

She aimed for his target and ending up splitting one of his arrows.

"Excellent," he commented. "Perhaps you can manage yourself."

"I'm just showing off for you," she smiled. "But thanks."

"Nice shot," another voice came in.

"Whoa," she almost dropped her bow and arrow in surprise.

"Never sneak up on a girl with a sharp object, Aragorn," said Haldir.

"My apologies," the ranger said.

"Stop teasing, Haldir. It was pointed at the ground," Abigail said. "Good afternoon, Aragorn."

"Hello, Abigail, Haldir. I hope I wasn't interrupting. I was just passing by."

"No, just a small refresher lesson," Haldir explained.

"Not that I need it," she quickly said.

"Of course, dear," Haldir said.

Aragorn only smirked.

"I have a feeling you two need some manly talk. I'm going to take a small ride on Sagitta. She's still mad that I haven't rode her in so long."

"That, and you want to go punish Authion," Haldir threw in.

"I always do. Your welcome to use my bow, Aragorn," she called over he shoulder as she walked out.

"Punish Authion?" Aragorn asked.

"It's just something they do," Haldir replied. "But I think my intuitive ward was right. We should talk."

Sagitta was very excited to see Abby and Abby was excited to see the stables so clean. Authion kept his word.

"Well, he would want to know what would happen if her didn't."

Sagitta snorted, agreeing with her.

"Smart girl," Abigail said, as she stroked the horse's nose. "Let's go for a walk."

She enjoyed the smooth rhythm of Sagitta's trot as they rode around the ring. It was always a steady beat, almost like a heartbeat. On her horse, riding around for no reason, life felt so simple and normal.

Sagitta stopped suddenly, to nibble on some grass. Abigail came out of her trance.

'Better take her back in for some real food,' she thought and steered her back to the stables at a leisurely walk.

She hung up her bridle and saddle, and closed Sagitta's stall behind her. She stopped to see Carnil leaning against a beam, about 10 feet away from her.

"_Carnil, what an unpleasant surprise,_" she spoke in elvish.

"Speak in common tongue. You can't convince me that you're a plain, Lorien elf," he said harshly.

"As you wish, though it's not like I need to do as you say."

"That could change." It sounded like threat.

"Do you want me to repeat what I did 3 years ago?" she asked, also threatening.

(A/N: The day she discovered her powers. Remember now?)

Carnil raised an eyebrow.

"And do what? Prove you're a freak? It'd be my pleasure," he said.

She was quickly losing her patience, but told herself to calm down.

"Go away, Carnil, I don't want to do this."

She started to walk past him, head held high, but he grabbed her arm.

"Scared?" he smirked.

"You should be," she whispered, and levitated him in the air, only slightly, and dumped him in a haystack.

"I have a small amount of respect of, because you are in the guard, protecting our people," she said.

He glared at her.

"Yes, I said OUR people. I love these woods and I am not abandoning them. Get use to it," she said icily.

"What I wouldn't give to see you in Mordor. Trying to act brave and strong when you are cowering inside," he managed to yell out.

She paused before going out the stable door, but didn't turn around.

"You will never see me cower, I promise that," she spoke in a low, angry voice. And she left.

Of course, she was cursing herself once she was away.

She wasn't supposed to expose her power, especially not to Carnil. That was exactly what he wanted, and this time she wasn't so sure if he would keep his mouth shut.

She debated for moment if she should find Haldir, or even Galadriel. It might not be pretty if everyone knew she was telepathic. But then again, there was only two days left in Lorien, and she didn't want anyone to be stressed or worried.

Anyway, she was soon distracted by two small elves bounding towards her.

"Lady Abigail!" they chimed.

"Why if it isn't Ana and Anders!" she mimicked their high voices. She bent down to give them a hug.

"My, look how you two have grown. You're getting taller than your sister, Anders," she said.

"That's because I'm older," he said proudly.

"Only by, like, 3 seconds," complained Ana. The little girl tugged on Abby's shirt.

"Lady Abigail, is it true you were traveling with the big group of men?"

"Yes, it's true, but how many time's have a told you two, just call me Abigail or Abby."

"Mother says to respect our elders," Anders said.

"Nonsense, I'm 7 just like you," she tickled Ana.

"You're not 7," the little girl laughed.

"Anyway, do you want to play with us?" Anders asked.

"Yeah, Lady Rodwen can't anymore. She has to stay with the baby," Ana said.

"Oh, I think I have some time, what do you want to do?"

"How about we race to the field first?" suggested Anders.

"Okay, readysetgo!" Ana giggled, and ran off.

"No fair!" yelled Anders, and dashed after his sister.

Abby laughed. "I'm gonna get you!"

They both screamed as if they were terrified.

Unknown to her, Haldir and Aragorn had been watching them from the second level (a terrace in the tree's).

"I didn't know she liked children," Aragorn said.

Haldir nodded. "She doesn't see them often, but they love it when she does. She's good at making them laugh."

"So I noticed."

Aragorn stared at the spot where she had just been.

"Would she ever stay?" Aragorn asked, looking up.

"Do you still doubt?"

"Certainly not, but she has a lot live for here, in Lorien. She does not need to slave away on such a perilous journey," he explained.

"She appreciates all she has in Lorien, she really does. But she was always longing for something more. The tree's can't hold her down, she wants to do this," Haldir said.

"So I shouldn't bother suggesting it?"

Haldir gave a small smile, looking up at the sky.

"Do what you will, but she did end up being like me in a few ways. Abigail's a smart girl if needed, but otherwise she's as stubborn as a mule."

Haldir turned back to his old friend.

"So how are you? Don't even try to convince me you're completely fine."

Aragorn sighed. "This is a task I need to do, but it not easy. I still feel at fault for my bloodline. This could have stopped so many years ago with Isildur."

"But you are not like Isildur. You are stronger and wiser. If you bore a crown I would bow to you in an instant."

"That path is still far from my mind. I would die to see Middle Earth restored to its former peace and glory, but I fight first as a ranger, not an heir."

"No matter what you want to be called, you are a great man, Abigail spoke highly of you. She would stand to see you be king, as well," said Haldir as they walked through the trees.

"Would she, now," he mused. "Nonetheless, you will never have to bow to me, my good friend."

"But nothing would stop me, friend," Haldir said, his tone both light and serious."

"We will just have to see then, I guess. We live in a couple days, but we have taken a habit of running into each other," said Aragorn.

"Especially during dark times," Haldir commented thoughtfully.

They went down some stairs, back at ground level, and ran into Abigail at the end of the path.

"Done playing so soon?" asked Haldir.

"How did you-oh never mind. Their mother called them in for supper," Abigail explained.

"Is it that late?" Aragorn said. "I should go back."

"I'll stop by later, as usual. I'm going to eat at home tonight because of the feat tomorrow."

"What feast?" Aragorn asked, confused.

"You'll find out soon enough," she said in a singsong voice.

They said their good-byes and went separate ways.

"Now, what were you so angry about before you ran into Ana and Anders?" Haldir said.

"Shoot, did Aragorn notice?"

"I don't think so, but it had me concerned for a moment."

"It was nothing," she sighed. "Carnil and I had a chat. Just like old times."

Haldir knew there was more, but he accepted her answer.

"I have a night post later on. I might be gone when you come back from the fellowship."

"Alright. Do you know when the feast starts tomorrow?"

"I believe it's a couple hours before sunset."

"Hmm, I'm sure Rodwen will want to play dress-up."

He rolled his eyes. "Your such a girl."

"Glad you noticed."

So, this was more of a filler chapter. It felt weird to skip straight to the feast so I wrote this. I hope you still found it somewhat entertaining.

I wonder what the feast will be like? Find out next chapter, which I can have out sometime in the middle of the week if I'm lucky.

Thanks to Reviewers:

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: Oh, I'm sorry you guys are so sick. I have a nasty cold right now, so I kind of feel your pain. Not quite as bad as the flu or mono, though, is it? I'm sorry to say that Authion, like Boromir, will only be a friend. Abby's reason for not loving him on that way will be explained later. I'm thankful you guys have the strength to review even when your sick. Feel better!

Samantha-Girl Scout: I hope this pleases your mob. But remember if you kill me I can't write anymore. I found the loophole! Then again, you can just severely hurt me (gulp). LOL, thanks!

Narnian Sprite: I'm sorry to inform you that this ship moves very slowly. The best you're going to get for a while are the little hints. This is for two main reasons. One is that he hasn't dumped Arwen…yet (evil grin). Two is that if you think realistically, it would be weird to have a relationship in front of the fellowship and stuff. At the same time it's fanfiction and I don't need to be realistic, but those are my opinions. Thanks for reviewing!

ArwenEvenstar83: Yeah, the tree thing was something I do all the time. I am fairly good at running backwards. I have to be for soccer. But I constantly run into stuff. As always, thanks for the happy thoughts!

The next couple chapters are going to be fun, at least in my opinion. I'm trying to write as fast as I can. Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	27. A Feast For Your Eyes

I just got back from seeing Tristan and Isolde. It was kind of good, I guess, and my friend was crying her eyes out. I agree with the review in the paper, though. It is odd that Tristan and Isolde are the only people in Europe who know how to shave and bathe.

Izzy: Whatever. It's an excuse to stare at James Franco for 2 hours.

MN9: True…but I thought the actor who played his brother/friend was cute too.

Izzy: You just like the long hair and the goatee.

MN9: Two words. Orlando Bloom.

Izzy: (rolls eyes)

Disclaimer: Here's a well-known fact for you. I DON'T OWN ANY PART OF LORD OF THE RINGS!

Chapter 26 Recap:  
"It was nothing," she sighed. "Carnil and I had a chat. Just like old times."

Haldir knew there was more, but he accepted her answer.

"I have a night post later on. I might be gone when you come back from the fellowship."

"Alright. Do you know when the feast starts tomorrow?"

"I believe it's a couple hours before sunset."

"Hmm, I'm sure Rodwen will want to play dress-up."

He rolled his eyes. "You're such a girl."

"Glad you noticed."

Chapter 27:

Later that night, Abigail had just finished talking to the Fellowship and was on her way home. Aragorn explained that they were leaving Lorien by way of the river, and she had a fun time trying to convince them they all had to come to the farewell feast. Next, to lighten the mood, they all shared some tales around a small fire. Just like they use to do when they were traveling.

She assumed it was around 10 o'clock now. The lights in the trees were dim and the moon mainly lit her path. Suddenly, something felt weird. Her feet changed directions, and she followed the strange sensation in the back of her head.

She soon found she was in a part Lady Galadriel's garden, but she was not alone. Galadriel and Frodo were here, and it looked like they had just finished talking.

"Frodo?" she asked cautiously.

He turned around, equally surprised to find her there.

"Abigail…hello," he said.

"You alright? We just figured you went to the bathroom or something."

"It is my fault for delaying him, he was just about to leave," Lady Galadriel explained.

"Oh, don't worry I'm sure it was important. You know how Aragorn gets, thought, even when I tell him we're perfectly safe here," Abigail said.

Galadriel smiled, and she did understand what she meant.

"Well, thank you, my lady. It was very…enlightening," Frodo said, nodded to Galadriel."

"Enjoy yourself at the feast, master Hobbit," she replied.

It was then when Abigail realized they were by the mirror.

"Did he look in?" she asked, after Frodo left.

"Yes," Galadriel said. "But it is not in my place to tell you what he saw."

"I felt something. A dark presence led me here," Abigail said.

Galadriel dipped a finger in the water.

"I lost myself for a moment, I am sorry if I scared you. But it concluded a question for me, at the very least."

"I don't understand," Abigail said, her eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

"My time in Middle Earth is fading, slowly, but it is fading. I no longer determine any events of this war. I am not meant to have that power."

Abigail knew what she meant by 'power'.

"He offered you the ring?"

"I denied it, as I should have. That darkness cannot be contained by the tree's."

"Then do you understand why I joined the Fellowship?" Abigail ventured.

Galadriel gave her the famous all-knowing smile.

"I daresay I do, child."

Abigail returned a small, content smile. She moved to leave, but her gaze rested on the mirror again.

"Do you want to look?" Galadriel asked, following her eyes.

Abigail shook her head. "I do not feel like being disappointed tonight."

"Whenever you do want to be disappointed, you are welcome to use this garden as you own," she said, as she left the area.

'So, the lady can be funny,' Abigail thought.

"_Yes_," the voice came in her head.

Abigail smiled, yet again, and went back to the path home.

The Following Afternoon

"Rodwen, there is no chance of me wearing that," Abigail said, refusing a pale silver dress.

"Why not?" Rodwen pouted.

"Look at how low that back is! If the bottom gets caught while dancing, everyone will see everything, if you know what I mean."

Abigail and Rodwen had spent the last hour looking at dresses.

"I don't know why we are so picky about this. You're already married and it's not like I'm trying to impress anybody," Abigail said.

"It's your last night and Varda help me if I'm not going to see you dance with every elf in Lorien," said Rodwen.

"Please don't try and play matchmaker. Just except that I'm hopeless," Abigail pleaded.

"I'm not making any promises," was all Rodwen said.

"How about this one, for you?" Abigail asked, offering a blue dress.

"I just had a baby. I am not going to fit in a corset top like that," Rodwen countered.

"What about this?"

Abby held a brown dress against herself.

"I am not letting you wear brown. You've been in grungy blouses and skirts for too long. You need something beautiful, stunning and lady-like. Something like…" Rodwen scanned the room.

"Something like this!" the elf exclaimed. She excitedly took out a dress from the back of the closet. "Abigail this is perfect for you!"

Abby fingered the fabric lightly.

"It's nice, but if I wear it I'll never hear the end of it."

"What do you mean?"

"My company has only seen me in 'grungy blouses and skirts' for the past weeks. Save for the dress I wore at the council, but that one was very dark, thick and modest."

"I still don't get," Rodwen complained.

"If I look too lady-like, I'm afraid they will start treating me like an ignorant, fragile, little girl, again," Abigail sighed and plopped down on the bed. Rodwen sat down beside her.

"Abigail, you're being ridiculous. They won't forget the fact that you could beat them up any day of the week. Trust me, Authion will vouch for you."

Abigail smiled weakly.

"But do you really want them to forget you are women? I guarantee they will still treat you will respect and kindness, for the sole reason that they are your friends. Do you want to be a man?"

Abigail thought about what she was trying to say, and responded,

"No."

"Good. Then for one night be the brave but still beautiful women that you are."

Abigail slowly took the dress from Rodwen.

"Fine. You win."

Rodwen looked rather pleased with herself.

"With that outfit, I better see you flirting, dancing and having fun the entire night," she commanded.

"This will be interesting," Abigail mumbled.

About 2 Hours Later

"Lady's, we need to be going!" Authion yelled.

"It takes time to look this good!" Abigail yelled back from the bedroom.

"Dear, you always look lovely no matter what," Finwé said.

Rodwen came out of the room and kissed her husband on the cheek.

"Right answer," she told him.

Rodwen was wearing a light green dress with yellow embroidery. She had a small scoop neck in the front, but there was no dip in the back. Finwé wore a dark green tunic to match, with dark grey edges.

"Ah, to be young and in love," Merilien said, coming out as well. Her dress was in a similar style to Rodwen, except that it was blue and silver with a small v-neck.

"Don't go making us sound so old, darling," Arphenon said, hooking his arm with his wife's. His tunic was silver with a dark blue belt.

Haldir and Authion just nodded and smiled at the scene before them, them both being wifeless. Haldir wore silver and red tunic while Authion's was navy and gold.

"Abigail, it's unseemly to be late when you are one of the guests of honor," said Haldir.

"Shouldn't I go in with the rest of the Fellowship?" she called out.

"Nonsense, you can meet them there, just hurry up!" Authion urged.

"Fine, fine I'm coming!" Abigail exasperated.

She came around the corner and everyone was just standing looking wide-eyed at her.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"No. It's just been ages since we've seen you in a dress, my dear," Arphenon finally said.

"Rodwen was right, that dress must have been made for you," Merilien agreed.

"Authion, close your mouth it makes your head look big," Rodwen teased.

"…" was all Authion did.

Hadlir came forward and took Abigail's arm.

"You look lovely, Abigail," he said, then kissed her hand.

"It's all Rodwen's fault that I do," she smiled.

"Hey! Don't make that sound like a bad thing!" Rodwen countered.

"Let's go," Finwé said, pulling his wife out the door.

"How about we get our son first?" Rodwen suggested, coming back in the door.

"Good idea," he responded sheepishly.

"This is some kind of tradition?" Boromir asked Legolas, as the fellowship was walking to the feast.

"More or less," Legolas replied. "When you have people of 'importance' visiting, the polite thing to do is to hold a farewell feat or ball, honoring their time at the city. But it is a choice event, the rulers decide whether to host it or not."

"So be on your best behavior," Aragorn warned, giving a pointed look towards Gimli.

"As long as they have a good ale, they are okay in my boat," the dwarf said.

"I believe you will find more wine then ale, but it is all fine quality," Legolas said.

"As long as they have food, they're good in my boat," Merry spoke up.

"That is something you won't have to worry about," Aragorn smiled.

The hobbits looked positively joyful. Even Frodo was in higher spirits. Looking into Galadriel's mirror made him nervous. After all he saw what terror would happen if he screwed up. Yet her words to him gave him reassurance, and he felt he could relax for the night.

"Are you alright, Mister Frodo? You look different," Sam said.

"It's because he's smiling," Pippin said, clapping Frodo and Sam on the back. All four hobbits laughed.

"Where is Abigail?" Boromir asked.

"I suspect she came in with Haldir," Aragorn explained.

The eight of them soon stumbled upon the party area, and were amazed at how many elves had already arrived. It must have been around 70 and more were sure to come.

"You mean this many people actually like us?" Merry asked, astonished.

"Ah! The guests of honor have arrived!" a nearby elf shouted out.

Everyone stopped and turned to the company and clapped respectively, some even cheered.

"This is certainly unexpected," Boromir muttered.

"Well, when we're fighting to save them they can't ignore us for that long," a voice chimed in.

All heads turned to see Abigail coming to join them, but they had to do a double take to make sure it was really here.

"I'm sorry, but who are you? You look vaguely like our old friend Abigail," Pippin teased.

She played nervously with her hair. "Ha, ha very funny Pip," she said.

Aragorn couldn't even imagine how stupid he must look, because he couldn't believe his eyes. Not that Abigail was bad looking before, but this was still a complete transformation.

She was wearing a lavender gown that had a slight scoop neck and a scoop back. The dress had a silver sash, and waist down the fabric became sheerer with a slit coming down the side, but there was a lighter purple slip underneath. The sleeves were tight, until a little after the elbow, when they became loose with ends about two feet long. In true Lorien fashion, she wore no shoes and her hair was curled save for two small strands pulled back and braided.

"Wow…Abigail" Boromir smiled.

She willed herself not to blush too much, but a rosy glow came to here face.

"Don't let me take all the credit. You men have seemed to clean up nicely as well."

(A/N-I know it seems a lot of this chapter has been about clothes descriptions, but I hardly ever do it so just bare with me. I think a visual is needed for this chapter.)

It looked as if Aragorn, Boromir and Legolas had borrowed some clothes.

Aragorn had on a forest green tunic with dark brown breeches and a brown vest as well.

Boromir wore a deep red tunic with some gold stitches, with a black vest on top and black pants on the bottom.

Legolas had a pale blue tunic with dark blue outlines, a silver belt and gray leggings.

Not being able to find clothes to fit them, the hobbits and Gimli had some of their clothes cleaned up and wore breeches, blouses and vests of assorted colors.

"Well what are we standing around for?" asked Gimli.

Abigail smiled," Right this way to your seats, gentlemen."

I'm sooooo sorry I didn't post sooner! I'm in the school play, and this past week we had practices until 10:00, so I had to focus on homework and stuff after that. I plan to have a bit of drama in the next chapter, which I want to start today and finish/post tomorrow in order to make up for my lateness on this one.

Thanks to Reviewers:

Narnian Sprite: Happy to hear you enjoyed my wordy chapter. And of course I'll be writing lots and lots more.

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: True, missing school is the upside of being sick. But the problem with colds is that you feel all the crapiness but you still have to go to class. Thank you for reviewing!

ArwenEvenstar83: LoL, I've stubbed my toe so many times on the same chest, and you would think I would have learned where it is by know. Thanks for your concern, and I'm all-better now!

Daughter of Arabia: Thanks for being so energetic about my chapters!

Not as many responses on the last chapter, so this time I will ask you to please review! Even if you write a bunch of nonsense, I really want to see how many people are reading.

Enjoy the weekend, and hopefully you will see a new chapter soon!

—MysticNight9


	28. The Choice Is Mine

Ha! I've been up for over 24 hours. We had a crazy cast party last night, and hardly anyone slept.

Izzy: That's because you kept going outside and bringing back snow to dump on their heads.

MN9: I only did that once. And some found it rather refreshing.

Izzy: Not the guy who actually was **_sleeping._**

MN9: Party pooper…

Disclaimer: IDONOTOWNLORDOFTHERINGS! IDONOTOWNLORDOFTHERINGS! IDONOTOWNLORDOFTHERINGS!

Chapter 27 Recap:

"Well what are we standing around for?" asked Gimli.

Abigail smiled," Right this way to your seats, gentlemen."

(Short and sweet this time. Something new: these mean a scene change or something like that.)

Chapter 28:

Abigail led them to the other side of the field, where large arrays of tables were set up. They were to sit at a table just below the Lord and Lady of the wood.

Haldir, tonight, had the honor of sitting at the table with Celeborn and Galadriel, along with a few other nobles and military men.

Abigail spotted Arphenon's family at a lower table to the right of them.

The group had actually arrived a bit late, so they had to sit down quickly and prepared to eat. Sam sat at one end, followed by Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Abigail, Boromir, Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas.

Moment later, waiters brought out several kinds of green and fruit salads.

Abigail noticed the slightly crestfallen look on some of the hobbits faces, and said,

"Don't worry lads, this is only the first course."

They immediately brightened up, and ate their salads eagerly without a word.

"So, when did you have a change of wardrobe?" Boromir asked, smiling.

She groaned. "I knew I would not get off that easily."

He said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

"My best friend and her mother decided I needed a makeover tonight, and it involved several hours of arguing, pins and hairbrushes. Need I say more?"

He chuckled," No, I believe that paints a pretty good picture."

"Well, I see you finally took a bath," she retorted.

"You're just jealous that you can't be as naturally handsome as I. Especially with all these elvish women."

"Why, yes, Lord Boromir, I was so hoping to have elvish women would throw themselves at me tonight."

"Please do try to contain yourself Lady Abigail," he said back.

She raised her glass, "Nicely done, my lord," and they both just laughed.

Authion watched her laugh with the man, the Gondorian one by the looks of it. He also couldn't help but notice how the other man, Aragorn he believed, was casting side-longed glances at her, but she didn't seem to notice.

'All the better for me,' he thought.

"You have that conniving look in your eyes, brother," Rodwen whispered, interrupting his solitude. "What are you planning?"

"I never plan anything evil, sister."

"No, but you often plan something rash that turns out messy."

He scoffed. "You can't plan something rash, that's redundant."

"I wouldn't put it past you," she mumbled.

"Don't be so negative, nothing is wrong," he insisted. He took one last look at Abigail, and then focused back to his food.

Lord Celeborn stood and cleared his throat, signaling he wished to speak.

Many 'shhhs' could be heard throughout the crowd.

"This night, we say farewell to our humble guests. If you do not know them already, never fear, for I do not doubt they will be written about in history books to come. They are the Fellowship of the Ring, and they have been our honored company for the past week, yet they will uphold that honor even when the leave, because they seek to fight for the justice and freedom that it is left in this world."

He paused, letting his word sink in for effect.

"It would take to long to explain the great task before them, so for now I only ask you to make sure they enjoy their last night in our lovely woods and to raise your glasses to the lords of-"

"A-hem!" Abigail's voice rang out from below.

Celeborn looked slightly annoyed at being interrupted, but smile gently all the same.

"Excuse me. Raise you glasses to the lords and **lady** of the fellowship."

"To the fellowship," the voices rang out and drank."

But he was not done yet.

"I also wish to take this moment, to honor one who could not be with us tonight. Please raise your glasses once more to a brave and true friend of the elves. To Gandalf the Grey!" he cried out.

"Gandalf the Grey," they loud chorus responded.

Abigail raised he glass and took a small sip of wine.

'Here's to you, you old fool,' she thought fondly.

"Eat and drink to you heart content, and now the floor is open for dancing. Thank you." Lord Celeborn finished.

A hearty cheer roared throughout the forest, as the strings began to play a light waltz.

Abigail had barely set her fork down, when a figure suddenly appeared beside her.

"Might I still you for the first dance?" he asked politely.

"Bless Varda, Authion, where did you come from? Elves are too light on their feet for their own good, I swear," she rambled.

"It works quite well for us, it's just not to your liking," he said.

"Shouldn't everything be made to my liking though?" she said sarcastically.

"Of course, of course, how could I forget?" he chuckled.

Abigail turned back to the table.

"Oops, how rude of me. Everyone, this is my good friend Authion. Authion this is-"

"Don't, worry. I'm fairly positive I can guess who is who from past descriptions," he assured.

Authion helped her up from her seat.

"If anyone is having trouble finding a partner, let me know! I have very good connections with some blondes!" she called over her shoulder, smiling.

"Boromir, I think you let the lassie have to much to drink," said Gimli.

"No, she's just having fun and being herself. Which is something we had yet to really see," commented Aragorn.

The others were surprised at his insight, but agreed. One by one they each left the table to go find somewhere or someone to mingle with.

"How does it feel to be a guest of honor?" Authion asked as they were dancing.

She shrugged, "Not that much different. Probably because I've been to so many other of these events, they all just blend together sometimes."

"But there is new seating arrangement this time."

"True," she said simply. "But I've known them for a while now, they are my friends just like you."

'Does she have to put so much emphasis on friends?' Authion thought now. He realized the moment he saw her come out in that dress that his was it. He was lucky to have seen her now, but next she was going to Mordor. This could be his last chance to say anything.

'But not now…later,' he thought, and changed the subject to simple things like the food, weather, etc.

(A/N-Can you guess where this is going?)

Abigail had so far danced with a wide variety of people, including Legolas, Boromir, Haldir and even one dance with Gimli (though her foot was in some pain after that dance).

She has danced a far amount with Authion, more on his insistence than hers, but it was her last night so she figured he was just trying to see her a lot before she was gone.

Many of the young, female elves thought the hobbits were just adorable and had been fawning over them all night.

Legolas had acquired quite a fan club as well, which was no surprise considering her was handsome, kind and not to mention a prince.

Boromir and Aragorn had taken more to talking then dancing, but she thought she had seen them on the floor a few times.

Even Gimli found a big group of elves to discuss with and both times she overheard them they were either talking about war or ale; right up Gimli's alley.

Anyway, she had been dancing with Haldir when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"May I cut in for a moment?" a deep, polite voice said.

She didn't recognize the elf for a moment. He had gotten taller it seemed, and his hair was more brown.

"Hanwu," Haldir greeted. "Made in out of the shop, I see."

Hanwu nodded. "If you please, captain, I was wondering if I could have a moment with the lady."

Haldir looked at Abigail.

"Sure," she nodded slowly.

Hanwu took her hand, and ending up dancing quite gracefully with her.

"You've…changed," she commented.

"From the idiotic brat you once knew?"

"Too put it bluntly…yes."

He smiled weakly. "I know I'm viewed as the stupid one compared to my twin, but I'm smart enough to realize that during this war, there is no time for prejudices. I followed my brother blindly before, I hope you can forgive me for it."

There was no lie in his voice, and his eyes looked most sincere.

"Of course I can forgive you Hanwu. You've definitely changed for the better and I admire that."

He looked very relived. "Thank you, your understanding will be a great benefit to the team."

There was a pause in conversation.

"What did Haldir say about a shop?" she asked.

"It turned out I wasn't the fighting type. My brother joined the guard, while I took to making weapons for them. I'm apprentice to the master craftsmen," he stated proudly.

"That's wonderful, congratulations!" she said truthfully.

The song came to a slow end.

"One more thing," he spoke, just as he was about to leave. "Carnil won't talk about the incident or your secret."

"Wh-how?"

He smiled mischievously, just like he used to. "When your are in a work room surrounded by 2 dozen swords that only you have access to, you can be rather persuasive."

"Thank you. Thank you so much," she said. It was her turn to be relieved.

He nodded. "Good luck with you quest," and then he just walked through the trees and left.

A hand came on Abigail's shoulder again.

"Haldir, did you know-" she turned around to fully face her new dance partner.

"Aragorn! I'm sorry I assumed you were someone else."

"Disappointed?" he asked casually.

"No, of course not!" she said quickly.

He raised an eyebrow, his (gorgeous) hazel eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Oh, wait, what I mean is…I-um," she trailed off, cheeks glowing red. The band started a new song with a faster beat.

"Would you care/like to dance?" the two spoke at the same time.

Abigail smiled," I would love to," she curtsied formally and Aragorn returned with a bow.

He wrapped one arm gently around her waist, sending a wavering, tingling sensation through her spine.

She placed a soft hand on his shoulder, and his skin seemed to warm where she touched.

'What is this? Why is it always him?' she asked herself.

'How does she make me feel this way? It's only Abigail, only another member of the fellowship' he wondered.

Neither spoke, either because they couldn't think of a topic or because it would be breaking the moment.

Abigail felt so light, twirling and gliding across the forest floor.

'She belongs here,' he finally told himself. 'I don't care what Haldir says, I have to try.'

"Abigail," he started slowly, "Are you sure you want to continue?"

"What, the dance?"

"No, the fellowship?"

Immediately her feet moved slower. This was the thing she feared would be happening tonight.

'Damn, I should have listened to Haldir,' he scolded himself.

"Please, I mean no insult-"

"I bit late for that," she said, I bit more harshly than she meant to.

"You are strong and brave, there is no denying that whatsoever. But you have so much you can live for, here. You need not concern yourself with the pain and sadness and war and fighting," he tried to explain.

"I will feel that pain no matter where I go. No one can escape Sauron. Not even those in the Havens. I refuse to sit in some chair waiting for death when I have the chance and I have made the choice to battle and make a difference. The only way to live is to fight," she argued.

"There are other ways-"

"Not for me Aragorn, not for me," she stopped dancing, her voice in a dangerous whisper.

'If only he knew how different I was. And how I can really help,' she thought.

"To win or fail in this war is the only cause I see. I will die trying if needed, and that is all I am good for."

She tried to walk away, but he grabbed her hand.

"That is not true," he said sternly. He let go of her hand, and sighed. "I only ask because I care."

"With different people and other places, I could have cared too. But not now," was her only explanation.

As if on cue, the music stopped.

"This is me and my choice Aragorn. Accept it or hate me," she said, walking away towards the table.

"You leave me with one choice, then, for I could never hate you."

He meant to say it to himself, but Abigail just barely heard him and smiled just a little.

Haldir came over to her.

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing, just a concern. Can we go home, I'm kind of tired," she said.

"Of course. The night is almost over, anyway."

Before they could leave, though, Galadriel decided to speak.

"As night draws to an end, it is tradition that a member of the honored party performs for us, perhaps a lullaby to send us into sweet dreams?" the golden lady spoke loudly.

'Great, another bloody tradition,' Abby thought.

Scattered throughout the area, the fellowship managed to give each other nervous glances. Who wanted to sing in front of the entire noble city?

"I nominate lady Abigail grace us with one of her songs," Rodwen shouted out.

Abigail wanted to kill her.

"Umm, my voice is a bit sore from this night events, I am not confident it will be to your liking," she said, trying desperately to get out of it.

"Oh no you don't!" Rodwen said, marching up to here. "I gave you years of lessons and it's about time I show off my teaching talent."

"Rodwen, you have got to be-"

"I second the nomination!" another shouted. She thought it might be Arphenon.

Soon all the elves seemed to be in agreement that Abigail should sing. Most were curious, because they had never heard the mortal girl sing before.

Authion and Rodwen dragged her to the stage in the gazebo, where the band had been playing.

"Do you want accompaniment, my lady?" the harpist asked.

"N-no thank you, I don't think you know this one."

She looked over the massive crowd, and for a moment she thought she would faint.

She found Haldir, though, and remembered how comfortable she was singing when he was there. She could tell he wanted her to sing very much.

'Okay, it's visual time. Pretend it's only your friends. No dilemma, just sing.'

She took a deep breath, and started to sing the first pure note.

Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby

Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay

And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow

Bless you with love for the road that you go

May you sail far to the far fields of fortune

With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet

And may you need never to banish misfortune

May you find kindness in all that you meet

May there always be angels to watch over you

To guide you each step of the way

To guard you and keep you safe from all harm

Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay

May you bring love and may you bring happiness

Be loved in return to the end of your days

Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you

I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay

May there always be angels to watch over you

To guide you each step of the way

To guard you and keep you safe from all harm

Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay

(A/N-One of the most relaxing and beautiful songs ever. "Sleepsong" by Secret Garden)

She came back to reality when she stopped. Singing really got her lost in her own little world. Nothing was more important than herself, the notes and the words.

Everyone had this peaceful and amazed look on their faces, which didn't give Abigail much comfort. Did this mean they hated it?

She didn't know what to do. She could either stand there like an idiot, hoping they would move first or she could do something.

In the end, all she did was give a small bow. Then, in the midst of the everlasting silence, someone started clapping. It spread like fire through the crowd, and to her astonishment they all started cheering for her.

She just stood there and kept smiling and blushing like mad.

Rodwen appeared next to her.

"Was that so bad?" she asked innocently.

"Maybe not. But if their weren't so many people I would probably still kill you," Abigail replied with clenched teeth.

"Well, there are a lot of people, and they are happy for you. So enjoy it kid."

"However, as punishment, I choose you to be my bodyguard through this mob," Abigail said.

Rodwen turned a bit white. "Abby, that's just cruel."

"Now you know what NOT to do when someone has stage fright!" Abby yelled over the noise as they started to walk through.

"Fine, lesson learned!" Rodwen said in response.

The crowd thinned fairly quickly, for it was late at night. Many came to compliment her, but she tried to direct them away as quickly as possible. Attention wasn't something she was used to either, at least not like this.

Not much later, all that was left was the fellowship and Haldir.

"That was wonderful, Abigail. I'm so proud on how hard you worked on your voice," he gave her a tight hug.

Aragorn was still surprised and the tenderness and love the lone elf captain had for this girl.

"I believe proper introduction are needed," Abigail stated. "This is my guardian, Haldir, more officially know as Captain Haldir of the Lorien Guard."

"Where was all this kindness when we first arrived?" asked Sam.

"I hope you can forgive me, Master Gamgee, I was only following orders."

"Ah, no harm no wound," Merry said.

"That's right," added Pippin. "A friend of Abigail's is a friend of ours."

"I had no idea of what a powerful voice you had inside, Abigail," Legolas said.

"I usually would not sing in front of people, but peer pressure got to me tonight," she smiled. "If you'll excuse me, I fell like a little walk before I go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

"It already is morning," Boromir pointed out.

"Well, I will see you in the later morning then," she said, and then she vanished from the path. Unknown to her, she was being followed.

"That's quite a girl you've raised their, Captain," said Gimli.

"I hardly did I thing, and now I wish I could offer her more," he said sadly. "You are her guardians now. I know she will need the trust and help of all of you to get through this. But don't doubt her. Remember she only speaks from her heart, even if you cannot understand it."

Abigail was walking silently with her thoughts when I twig snapped. She turned around, surprised that she had not noticed she was not alone earlier.

"You have such a beautiful voice, but it all pales in comparison to your beautiful face."

"Authion, if you keep sneaking up on me like that I'll be a beautiful corpse, dead from fright," she scolded lightly.

He moved towards her quietly and stroked her face, as he had done before.

She didn't move, only because she was confused.

"Must you leave?"

"Yes," she answered strictly. "I will not have this conversation again." She took a step back.

"Ah yes, you had the same argument with lord Aragorn. Almost like a lovers spat."

"Aragorn is a good man and a caring friend, Authion. I don't see where you are going with this."

"And what can you say about me, Abby?" he asked earnestly, trying hard to make eye contact with her. And as soon as she saw his eyes, he knew what he was trying to get.

"The honest answer is not the one you are looking for," she said quietly, looking at the ground.

"What is that suppose to mean? Quit toying with my heart!" he demanded.

"I am doing no such thing! Don't confuse me like this!" she said, equally demanding but her voice remained low.

"Well, here's some closure. I love you, Abigail! I love everything about you. I want you to stay with me. Leave the fellowship, live with me!" he yelled.

She has not expected this outburst, not from him and certainly not now.

"Authion, this is not like you at all. When I left, we were the great friends we always been-"

"I changed, you changed, it's all changing don't you see," he told her. "You've become the constant that I need in my life. I could not bear it if you left and never came back."

He was almost on his knees now. She came forward and grabbed him gently on the head, making eye contact one again.

"You are not going to lose me," she said calmly. "But you also cannot have me. I am not in love with you, Authion."

"But I grew up with you. You know I can provide a good home and family. Please believe me when I say I love you."

"You love me when I'm young a free. But what happens when I am wrinkled and gray, and you still look like you are in your prime? Can you love me then?"

"Of course, it doesn't matter to me."

She shook her head, "You say that now, but I won't let myself believe that. I would be ashamed that I could not even do the simplest pleasures with you. I cannot ride a horse and cook when I am 80. I will not live like that."

It might have sounded harsh, or even racist, but it was how she felt. She could not offer life-long happiness to an elf, because from the moment a mortal is born their life begins to fade. Few elves truly understood what it is to be human in that aspect.

She wished she could love Authion, she really did.. Right now it seemed it would make life so much easier, but it wasn't fair to him to say anything else besides no.

"Immortality is a great gift, don't toss it around so idly. To have the chance to see the world grow and evolve."

"Or just watch it fall apart," he said bitterly.

They were now just standing side by side.

"Why?" was the only question he had left

"I don't know why Authion, it's just not you," she said exhausted. Deep down she had a suspicion why, but she couldnt' bring herself to try and explain. "There is a much more deserving woman out there who can make your dreams come true and share all the ages with you."

"I still want it to be with you," he insisted.

"I'm not even sure if I'm real, Authion. Don't love a thought," she said, it an eerily sad whisper. "I'm sorry this has to be our goodbye."

The next time he looked up, she was gone. Only then did he allow the single tear to roll down his cheek, but he quickly brushed it away.

"_I tried to warn you brother."_

He scoffed. Even now he can imagine how his sister was going to scold him.

Abigail ran fast and blindly. She could have been going right through trees, but she didn't care. Every part of her soul, mind and heart was aching.

She charged angrily up to the mirror and began to yell at it.

"Why can't you answer my questions? Show me what I can be or at least who I was! Why am I cursed to lie and hurt everyone? What do you want from me?"

She felt stupid, screaming at the water. For now, thought, it was an outlet for her rage. She felt the mirror was the only thing holding her back from her life, because it was the only thing that could prove that she had a life. Then she didn't just appear out of nowhere, that her whole life wasn't just visions and dreams.

Tears ran wildly and freely down her cheeks. The salt ran into her mouth, and droplet's fell into the wet screen of the bowl.

"Show me…please," she begged.

As her tears dripped into the mirror, it began to glow and morph. She slowly realized that her life was about to flash before her eyes, and she wasn't even dying.

Bwa ha ha ha! This is probably one of the most evil cliffhangers I will ever leave you with. But I feel it must be done.

Izzy: Still, I strongly suggest you go hide yourself somewhere until you update.

(Angry chants and the glow of mob torches start to come around the corner)

MN9: Smart girl, knew there was a reason I hired you. Can you wrap in up while I pull a Houdini?

Izzy: I suppose….

MN9: Thanks

Mob: Get the witch!

MN9: Witch?

Mob: Sorry, wrong angry threat (reads script). Ah yes, here we are. GET THE AUTHOR!

MN9: uh-oh

Izzy: Thanks to super-fast reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83: Yeah, those two outfits did sort of come from the movie. But except for the sheer and purple part I think Abby's outfit if fairly different. I also think the outfits are gorgeous. I think Eowyn had some of the best dresses; I want to steal her wardrobe. Thanks!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Good news, I did update pretty fast. Bad news for me, you're probably going to unleash your mob now.

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: It's too bad that Boromir had to die ever, even in the original. But I think it's for the best to keep that part. I'm glad you can forgive me for it.

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: I know I was setting myself up when I said 'nonsense'. But it worked, I have new reviewers. Thanks!

grumpy861: Again, I knew some people would take the nonsense thing to heart. I'm very thankful to have a new reviewer and I hope to keep it up. Thanks!

hermonine: Yay, I'm glad you like it. Thank you and please keep messaging!

Narnian Sprite: Yay, I did! But now you all want to kill me!

Izzy: If Mystic were here, I'm sure she would say "Super Cool! 100 freakin' reviews!" or something along those lines. So keep up the good work! She also wants to remind you to be thankful that she wrote such a long chapter in one day, even if it did have an awful cliffy. Though I doubt that will make you forgive her any faster.

Never fear, details of what Abigail sees are in the next chapter and she will try to post it ASAP.

Until later!

-Izzy/MN9 if she wasn't hiding for her life in an unknown location.

Izzy: cough broom closest cough

MN9: Izzy, nooo!

Mob: Charge!


	29. Mirror, Mirror and Memories

I don't really have an introduction, today. Life had been its normal, crazy self.

Izzy: That's an oxymoron, isn't it?

MN9: Uggh. It's too late for such big word, Izzy.

Izzy: Dually noted. Just get it started.

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings. Need I say more?

Chapter 28 Recap:

Tears ran wildly and freely down her cheeks. The salt ran into her mouth, and droplet's fell into the wet screen of the bowl.

"Show me…please," she begged.

As her tears dripped into the mirror, it began to glow and morph. She slowly realized that her life was about to flash before her eyes, and she wasn't even dying.

Warning: A bit of 'bad language' in one paragraph.

Chapter 29 (This is going to start right away with what the mirror is showing her):

_Abby was 2 or 3 years old, playing with her favorite stuffed animal, a huskie with white and gray fur. She loved dogs; her room was filled with toys and pictures of them._

_Outside her room, there was yelling. Shadows of feet were running back and forth in front of her room._

"_Just go then, whore! But don't expect me to follow!" an angry man yelled._

_Breaking glass came from downstairs, quickly followed by a door slam. Abby ran to her window, and saw a woman with clicky red heels storm up to the car, climb in, and drive away._

_She didn't think much of it, and hopped away. Her foot got caught on the chair, and she fell hard to the ground and started crying loudly._

"_Mommy!"_

_Her father came into her room and picked her up and placed her on the bed._

"_You need to clean up your room, sweetie," he mumbled._

"_I want m-mommy!" she sniffled. "She makes the ow-wies go away."_

"_Mommy is not here right now," her dad said, trying to stay calm._

"_I don't understand! I want mommy," she cried again._

"_Mommy is not coming back!" he said, fed up. "She left you, forever. Do you understand that!" he yelled._

_Abby's lip trembled, with sadness and fear. She didn't like to make daddy mad._

_Her father gave an angry sigh and stomped out of the room._

_Abby didn't want to move off the bed, but her stuffed animal was across the room._

_She reached her hands out, trying hard to reach it._

"_Timber, here boy," she whimpered, hoping it could come closer._

_Suddenly, the toy rose in the air, and slowly floated to her. It landed gently in her arms, and she squeezed the huskie with all her might, as small, fat tears fell down her face._

"_Mommy," she whispered._

(scene change)

_Her neighbors were teaching 5-year-old Abby how to ride a bicycle. _

"_Her father should be doing this," the neighbor man said to his wife, as Abby attempted to balance on the kickstand._

"_Poor man is still distraught over the incident," she replied._

"_Poor man my ass," he grunted. "All he ever does is work or sleep. Drinks too from what I hear. I'm sorry his wife left, I really am. But she left Abby too, he needs to be a strong parent for her."_

_His wife just shrugged, and watched the small girl run around, giving up the bike._

(scene change)

_Abby straightened her school uniform and pulled her hair back in a messy ponytail._

_She knocked carefully on her father's door._

"_Dad, time for me to go to school."_

_He rolled over lazily, and looked at the clock._

"_It's early, honey, and I have a headache. Call Steph or something."_

"_But, Dad, it's my first day of 3rd grade."_

"_Sweet heart, I'm just not up to it. I'm sorry." He rolled over and went back to sleep._

_She huffed and stormed out of the room._

_He was always calling her pet names like sugar, cutie, sunshine, like that was going to make up for the fact that he hardly even went anywhere with her._

(scene change)

"_Abby, want to hang out tomorrow night?" her friend, Lila, asked her._

"_Can't, I have fencing," she replied simply._

"_Well what about Saturday?"_

"_My horse-back group is going on a trail ride," Abby said, opening up her book._

_Lila sighed. "Your turning into one of your fantasy book characters."_

'_I wish. Their life is so much cooler than mine,' Abby thought, and turned to the first chapter of a book recommended by the librarian. It was by some author named Tolkien._

"_I think they're making that book into a movie," Lila commented._

_Abby raised an eyebrow. "Really, well I better read this fast. The book is always better then the movie."_

"_Whatever, we better go or we'll be late. Not that I'm in a rush for 5th grade math," she said._

The story unfolded more and more with each second. Everything about her friends, school, hobbies, family (or lack there of) came flooding back. Thoughts and memories about the first 13 years of her life, the years before Lorien, flew by in front of her eyes. She tried to release her grip on the rim of the bowl; she wanted to leave. It was becoming too surreal and she wanted it to stop. But she couldn't walk away, and her mind was pulled in to a new image.

"_What the fuck do you mean she's gone?" a woman screamed._

"_Oh, like you have the right to give a shit. You're the bitch who left us over 10 years ago," a man screamed back._

"_I needed to get away from you, you bastard. I didn't realize I was leaving my daughter with such a jackass."_

"_Get the fuck, out of my house!" He lunged at her._

"_Fine, but this isn't over. I outta send you to jail, look at this place! I swear to god if she ever comes back I'm getting her out of this hell-hole, like I should have done a lot sooner!" she yelled, and ran out of the house._

"_Shit!" the man screamed in rage, and kicked over the chair. "I'm sorry, alright? I didn't want this to happen!" he yelled at the wall, just before punching it._

'That was new,' Abigail thought.

There was no mistaking those people were her mother and father, she was a perfect combination of them both. Her mother's fiery red hair and her father's dark brown hair resulted in her auburn hair. Her mom's bright blue eyes and her dad's steel gray one's caused her to have stormy eyes. But that means her father was sorry, and her mother had come back for her.

'Would life be better now if I were there?'

The water morphed once more.

_She was laughing at the breakfast table with her mom. She must have been 20 or so, and she was in a new house, living with her mom. They were laughing so hard, tears were coming out._

_Next she was a beach party with a loud crowd and she was one of the most popular girls there. She was dancing, eating and having so much fun._

"_Sorry, guys, I'm going to steal my girlfriend for a while," a boy said, wrapping his arm around Abby's waist._

"_Aww, but we were about to limbo," she smiled, putting an arm around his shoulder and giving him puppy eyes._

"_As hard as it is to resist the look…it will only take a moment, I promise. Besides, you always lose first round," he said._

"_It's not my fault I was curse with my mother's inflexibility."_

_He chuckled, and led her away by her hand,_

"_Moon is full tonight," he moment, as they were walking with their feet in the water, with the party in the background._

"_Yeah, it's great," she said in a dreamy tone._

"_So are you," he whispered in her ear, and then slipped something into her hand. It was a small silver ring._

"_Brian, what is this?"_

"_Look, I know we still have a couple years left of college, but I also know I want to see you everyday no matter what. We can wait to see if you still feel the same, so for now call it a promise leg. Because I promise to make our time together the happiest."_

_She smiled and put the ring on her finger._

"_You need to work on your romantic speeches, but I love it and you. I accept with all my heart," she said, and the kissed lovingly underneath the night sky._

(scene change)

_Abigail was back in Middle Earth, not much older than she was now. But she was clad in all black and her eyes were lifeless. Her hair whipped around wildly like flames, but the rest of the world stood still. _

_She had a malicious grin on her face, along with splatters of…blood?_

"_Men, so pitiful with their pleads and their shame," she said. It was her voice, but not her words. She slowly pulled out her daggers, and stabbed at blurred figures with an unknown sense of evil. On things was for sure, though, she was killing everything._

"No!" Abigail shouted, splashing the water out of the mirror, making the picture vanish as quickly as possible.

Her knuckles were white from gripping so the edges so tightly.

When she looked up, Lady Galadriel was standing by the small waterfall, but Abigail was not surprised to see hear.

"Bet you didn't see this one coming," she managed to croak out, her throat dry as if she had been screaming for hours.

"It is not unexpected that there are other worlds or powers that we do not know of. It is only surprisingly that is was an innocent little girl that came to us from such an advanced place," Galadriel spoke smoothly.

"What am I suppose to say," she asked, more to herself then the lady. "Do I tell them what I know? Tell them the truth on top of the deceit?"

"It is your secret and only yours to tell, but you have seen the possibilities," Galadriel replied.

"I doubt they would believe me, and even if they did what would happen next is that they lose all trust and faith in me."

"But in reality you can not be certain. You have read about upcoming events, but you are the defect in that chain. You are still the unknown factor."

"Well I just love to be mysterious," Abigail mumbled. She paced around slowly. "Those last two visions are really what I can't understand. If somehow I was to return home, it said that I would be happy and loved. But if I stay alive in Middle Earth…" she trailed off and shuddered. Even from only a vision, she could feel the evil and hatred radiating off her.

She paced faster now, her stress level increasing. She had hoped knowing would give her peace, but it only made her more confused, angry and distraught. She took the one path that felt safe right now. Denial.

"Mirrors are known to lie, and thoughts are always unclear. There is no proof that those memories are mine."

"Can anyone be sure that they are real? All you can do is simply accept what is given to you, whether it be in life or in a dream," Galadriel said.

"Then I accept the dream. I'm a girl from Middle Earth who tragically lost her memory and was given an extraordinary power. You're all just trying to confuse me," she said loudly, but firmly. Then she walked quickly out of the garden.

But if the past was true, there was one thing that could give her proof. She hoped she was wrong, but either way she needed to get to her room.

As soon as she was at the house, she walked quickly and quietly to her bedroom, as to not wake Haldir. She stumbled over to her dresser, and open the bottom door and rummaged the clothing around so she could search the very back.

Within seconds, she found what she didn't want to find.

It was suppose to be an outfit, though it now looked like rags.

The pants were a thick blue fabric, worn through in the knees.

'Jeans…they're called jeans,' she thought.

With it, came out a gray shirt, with not sleeves and a strange orange cloth.

'The gray shirt is a tank top, and the orange thing was called a …hoodie I believe.'

These were earth clothes, the one's she was wearing when she fell out of the tree. The proof was in the blood stained rip where the Nazgûl sword had stabbed.

With these three items she could no longer deny what the mirror had showed her. She was a long, long way from home with much more to hide.

"The books…" she murmured. That was one of the most compromising situations.

Thus far, the story by J.R.R. Tolkien had come true, save for her being here of course.

The good new was, Gandalf wasn't dead. But the fellowship left tomorrow, and she knew what was supposed to happen soon on that part of the journey. Boromir was to die.

"Oh god, no" she cried, and wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Haldir woke with a start. He could have sworn her heard a cry in the next room over. It could have been his imagination, but when he heard movement her realized it was Abigail.

He got up quickly and went next door. She had her knees curled up to her chest, sitting on the floor.

"Abigail? What ever is the matter?" he asked, worried.

"It's suppose to be a brilliant bedtime story, but it's turning into my nightmare," she said in a low whisper.

"What?"

"But why me? How? Who would bring such a child into this world? Am I here to help save the world or help destroy it?" she continued.

"Abigail, what are you talking about?" His eyes widened with confusion and even a little fear.

She flinched when he took a step towards her.

"Too many questions, too many possibilities and outcomes. I don't know where to go from here. It's not supposed to happen it's not supposed to be real! I'm a mistake, I don't understand!" she said, babbling. She looked as if she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Haldir knelt down to her level and hugged her fiercely.

"_Abigail, calm down! Talk to me," _he said, reverting to elvish.

She stopped talking altogether, and just wept on his shoulder.

"_Shh, it's okay. Just breathe,"_ he whispered, rubbing her back and trying to comfort her. A few minutes later her helped her up onto a chair and looked her in the eyes.

"_Tell me what happened. Slowly and calmly, we have all the time_," he said carefully.

She nodded and sniffled. She took a big breath and told him everything, about how her life had changed dramatically within the last hour.

Kind of a strange chapter, but I decided I wanted to do more about what the mirror actually showed her.

Anyway, her memory is back, like I promised it would be.

Next chapter, the fellowship finally leaves Lorien, and what can Abigail do about Boromir?

Thanks to super cool reviewers:

grumpy861: I know it was evil, but every author needs a good cliffy now and then. I'm glad you're still enjoying the story, though!

ArwenEvenstar83: Whoa, many kudos for the super good and long review. I hope this chapter meets your expectations. Thank you!

Narnian Sprite: Don't worry, I wanted to update quickly. I've been itching to write these couple chapter forever. I do feel sad for Authion, but you haven't seen the last of him. Thank you!

Daughter of Arabia: Aww, don't kill Authion, he's only in love. LOL, being crazy is good. Just look at Izzy. This chapter wasn't too long, but hopefully it will still satisfy you. Thanks.

writin4fun15: Hello new reviewer! Happy to see you are liking it. I agree that Aragorn romances seem scarce these days, so I'm really doing you all a favor (haha). Please review again, thanks!

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: I knew I was setting myself up with the nonsense thing, but it was funny. I'm glad you liked it, thanks!

Next chapter should be posted sometime this weekend, as always. Until then, eat, drink and be merry (or Pippin, your choice).

Izzy: That joked sucked.

MN9: Shh, they don't know that.

Izzy: Umm, yeah they do.

-MysticNight9


	30. Parting from Lorien

Blah, blah, blah, it's cold and slushy out. But I got a super cool snowboard! So maybe when the weather clears I can test it out. It's something to look forward to.

Izzy: Besides my beautiful face?

MN9: Sure…whatever you say…

Izzy: That's right.

Disclaimer: I'll make this simple for you lawyers. I don't own any part of Lord of the Rings at any time!

Chapter 29 Recap:

She stopped talking altogether, and just wept on his shoulder.

"_Shh, it's okay. Just breathe,"_ he whispered, rubbing her back and trying to comfort her. A few minutes later her helped her up onto a chair and looked her in the eyes.

"_Tell me what happened. Slowly and calmly, we have all the time_," he said carefully.

She nodded and sniffled. She took a big breath and told him everything, about how her life had changed dramatically within the last hour.

Chapter 30:

Haldir was in shock. He had always known Abigail was different, of course. But another world, with technology and knowledge he could probably never understand. That he never fathomed.

"Well," he said, after a long moment of silence. "At least Authion finally spoke up."

She groaned. "Did everyone notice it, but me?"

"For elves, the look of a man in love can never be mistaken."

"Do you think he hates me?" Abigail wondered.

"No. He will be hurt for a while, but he will not hate you. He was warned that you didn't feel the same way."

"He is my best friend, my brother. I thought he knew that was the love I felt for him," she explained.

"You are at no fault. He is the one who should be sorry. It was not smart to corner you like that, on the night of your leaving."

She nodded slowly.

"I suppose I should apologize to you too, for I have done the same thing. I have burdened you with another secret, and now I am leaving you alone with it," she said sadly.

He shook his head.

"You are never a burden, Abigail. I would die for you. Keeping my mouth quiet is no great feet."

She smiled softly, tears brimming her eyes again.

"Thank you," she said.

"But, just so I understand, are you saying you know the outcome of this war?"

She sighed, and stood up to stand by the window, the cool night breeze refreshing against her face.

"So far, the general plot has come true. Frodo finding the ring, the council in Rivendell, you finding the fellowship in Lorien-"

"Has anything been different?" he asked.

"Besides me? No not really. Perhaps I was just left out of the story."

"Nonetheless, you need to remember this is reality. Rules can be broken. Your story is not entirely false nor is it entirely true," he cautioned.

"I don't want to leave. I don't know if I can walk besides them knowing who and what I am. It is just so…strange. I was thrown into one of my daydreams."

She paused, and faced Haldir directly.

"Do you think I will change the outcome?"

"Only for the better," he said confidently.

"Still," she said, thinking hard. "I don't think it is wise to tell them, at least not now. If they turn on me, here it is too easy to abandon me. They could just leave me on the shore. They won't be as understanding."

"It will be only harder to admit if you wait, you know," the wise elf said.

"Yes, I do."

Abigail kept thinking of Gandalf and Boromir. They will be the most affected by her silence.

"Do what you think is right, and I will stand behind you. But you shouldn't think so little of your companions. They could be more understanding and trustworthy than you think."

She thought about what he said, but didn't respond.

"Try to get some sleep, no matter how little the time is. I will walk you out in the morning," Haldir said, while slowly exiting her room.

"I doubt I could ever sleep," she thought, images still running strong through her head. But as soon as she lay her head down on the pillow, she closed her eyes…

"_Men, so pitiful with their pleads and their shame," she said. It was her voice, but not her words._

"_We are attracted to great things of power. Every time you use yours, it's like a beacon, making it that much easier to find you."_

"_Do not worry. Soon you will be able to use your powers all you want."_

"_You have made your choice, and there is no escaping it."_

"_I am the mighty. You will not deny my power and you cannot keep yours!"_

"_You are made only for me,"_

"_You are too much of a risk," he hissed. "My master thinks you are not ready. You are weak."_

"_A power you might have, but powerful you are not. You are a nuisance who doesn't belong."_

Abigail's eyes snapped open and she sat up in bed. The faint light of dawn was coming in from her window.

"What was that about?" she whispered, rubbing her temples.

Her dreams were always dark, and never clear about what they were trying to tell her. She could barely remember what it was about.

"Never mind it. I need to pack."

She stood up and stretched. She looked down and saw she was still wearing the dress.

'Hmm, it is Rodwen's. But I don't want to risk seeing Authion, and there is not enough time go there. I said me goodbye's last night,' she decided. 'I'll have Haldir return it.'

A soft knock came on her door.

"I'm awake," she called out.

Haldir came in. "Just checking. Aragorn said he wanted to leave before mid-day, remember."

She was surprised at how calm he sounded, despite everything. This was a good thing, though, for she had not wanted it to be awkward.

"Yes, I remember. Say, do you know where I put my daggers?" she asked.

"They are in the chest, along with your bow. And there's bread and fruit in the kitchen."

"Ahh, that's right. Thanks," she said.

He nodded, and then left her to change.

She walked over to the closest, and pulled out her familiar brown skirt and green blouse. She also grabbed some extra tunics, leggings, boots and even crammed in a riding dress, just in case.

'Amazing how much this bag holds.'

She undid her braids from last night, brushed her hair and put it up in a coiled bun, praying that it would stay.

"I'm back in quest chic," she thought to herself. And it felt good.

She opened her bedroom door, and was shocked to see Rodwen standing in front of it.

"What are you doing here?" Abigail asked, politely.

"I knew you would avoid our house, so I came to you," she explained.

"Oh, right," Abby said, hanging her head slightly. "Listen, Rodwen I-"

"It alright, don't worry about a thing. He'll be fine and nobody blames you. Not even Authion."

"You're sure?" Abigail asked hopefully.

"Positive," Rodwen assured. "We're only upset to see you go so soon," her friends voice wavered in sadness.

"I'll be fine, I always am. I only want you to worry about your family. I want that kid shooting arrows by the time I come back, because I am coming back," Abby scolded.

"I'll always be worrying about you, but I'll take care of them," Rodwen promised.

Abigail embraced her long-time friend in a tight hug.

"_I'll miss you,_" she whispered.

"_May there always be angels to watch over you,"_ Rodwen quoted from the song.

"And you."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail and Haldir walked slowly and thoughtfully, stepping together as they went through the woods.

It was so quiet, and almost no other elves could be seen.

"Actually, while we are alone, I want to give you something," Haldir said something.

"Really?" Abigail said, arching an eyebrow.

He nodded, and slowly pulled something from his pocket. It was a small wooden bow.

"Open it," he urged gently.

She slowly lifted the top, and gasped at what was inside.

It was a silver bracelet, with crystal carvings and some small, gold leaf imprints. She took a closer look at the carvings, and it looked like there was a liquid inside.

"It beautiful," she whispered.

"There is one night a year, when the star Eärendil shines it brightest. They say, that if you collect the dew on the willow tree the following morning, you have captured a bit of the star itself. The liquid is called the pool of Eärendil, which is what is inside that bracelet."

"Part of the sacred star? This is a gift for royalty!" she said amazed.

"So it is perfect for you," he said.

He gently took the bracelet from her.

"Watch," he said. He closed his eyes, and chanted quietly,

"_Pool of Eärendil, shine for me bright. Give hope in darkness, give shadow a light."_

Even in the daylight, Abigail could see how the bracelet began to glow brightly, casting a protective warmth.

"This is meant to give you hope and safety, and you can use it when darkness seems to be clouding your footsteps," he explained.

"It's magnificent. Thank you…Ada," she said.

He smiled, even more brightly than the bracelet.

"Ada," he repeated, as if he were trying out the name.

"On earth, where I first came from, my name means joy of the father. For all the joy you have given me, I can only hope I'm done the same. I hope to call you father, for you are the only man I have loved as one," she said happily. "I would be just as honored if you could think of me as a daughter.

"You always have been and always will be my daughter, Abigail."

He kissed her on the forehead, and they embraced each other tightly and tenderly.

She sniffed. "I've cried way to much in the past 12 hours."

He chuckled lightly, and watched as she slipped the bracelet in her left wrist.

"Perfect," he said.

She nodded in agreement.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The fellowship was standing at the rivers end, except for Abigail. But they soon saw her coming in with the Captain Haldir. Halfway there, the two stopped and Abigail hugged him one last time. Then she went on her own to join the line up of the fellowship. She stood at the far end next to Aragorn.

"Better late than never," he told her.

She smiled. "I needed to pack," was all she said.

Elves came up, and offered Lorien cloaks and pins to each member of the fellowship.

"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people. May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes," Lord Celeborn said.

His eye lingered on Abigail for a moment, and she nodded her head in respect.

Next Galadriel stepped forward, so she could present them with gifts.

The members spaced out a little, so each could have their privacy with the lady.

From a distance, she saw Galadriel give Legolas a bow, daggers to Merry and Pippin and a rope to Sam.

To Gimli, all she saw was Galadriel laughing, and taking something from her head.

Her view was blocked from Frodo, but she already knew what he was getting.

Next she stopped and Boromir, and handed him a small gift which he took gladly.

Aragorn was still fairly close to her. At least close enough to hear what Galadriel said to him.

"I have nothing greater to give than the gift you already bear." She touched the Evenstar. "Am meleth dîn, i ant e guil Arwen Undómiel pígatha."

(For her love, I fear the grace of Arwen Evenstar will diminish)

"Aníron i e broniatha, ad ae periatham athar i methid en-amar hen. Aníron i e círatha na Valannor," he hastily replied.

(I would have her leave these shores and be with her people. I would have her take the ship to Valinor.)

"Their bond is strong. Such love at such a distance," Abigail thought. Her heart ached at the thought of it. "Few will ever understand it."

She was taken from her thoughts, when Lady Galadriel approached her.

"There is also no gift I can offer you," she said.

"You have shown be grace, hospitality and knowledge, my lady. Gifts that I can never repay, but I always will be thankful for," Abigail replied.

Galadriel glanced at Abigail's wrist.

"The pool of Eärendil," she said thoughtfully. She looked into her eyes.

"You now have the love of a father, but you still yearn for more."

Abigail gave her a confused look.

"You have many choices and burdens to keep. Do not try to hold back what is plain to see," Galadriel continued.

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"You rely on the love, trust and hope of others, and keep none for yourself. Do not be afraid and despair, because you still have a chance."

Despite the riddles of her words, Abigail always had faith in them and she would try to remember it.

"Thank you, for everything," she said softly.

"I do not believe we will meet again, young Abigail."

"Parting is such sweet sorrow," said Abigail.

Galadriel gave her all-knowing smile, nodded and walked away.

"_Give him time,"_ the voice came.

Abby turned around, wanting to ask more, but the lady had already left the area.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

One by one, the company got into to boats in groups of three. Gimli, Legolas and Sam in one. Boromir, Merry and Pippin in another and Aragorn, Frodo and Abigail in a third.

They cast off from the misty shores, and paddled softly away on the crystal-blue river.

In that moment, Abigail wondered if she would ever see the trees of Lorien again.

She fingered her bracelet lightly.

"Namárië," she whispered, and pulled her cloak tighter for she suddenly felt a chill in the air.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Dusk came quickly and silently, and the fellowship had to pull over to make camp on shore.

Late at night, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn were gathered around the fire.

The hobbits were fast asleep, while Abigail pretended to sleep and mainly stared at the ground, away from the others.

"What did Celeborn say to you?" Legolas asked Aragorn.

"It was a warning about the increasing danger. The eastern shore holds orcs from Mordor, while the western bank holds a new type of orc, which can travel under the sun. The river has given us a good heads start, but we are being tracked by the minute," Aragorn replied, sounding a bit dismayed.

"It sounds as if we are better off crossing to the eastern side," commented Boromir.

"Do we know how large a group?" said Gimli.

"Not exact numbers, but we are for sure outnumbered," said Aragorn.

"Should we wake Abigail?" Legolas suddenly asked.

She could feel them watching her back, and she closed her eyes tightly hoping they wouldn't notice she already was awake.

"Nay, let her sleep," Aragorn told them. "She has been in a strange mood all day, and didn't looked like she slept much the previous night."

"She must be worried about leaving Lorien. It could be a while before she is back," Boromir said.

"I noticed it too, but I there is something else bothering her besides homesickness," said Legolas.

"Let's just leave the girl be. If she has a lot on her mind let her sort it out," suggested Gimli.

It was true, that Abigail had barely looked at anyone all day. But she didn't know how she was supposed to act. She had been debating herself in her mind about any sort of solution, but none came. If she was sitting with them now, could she pretend to be surprised about the orcs hunting them? Or that there was a new breed that could walk in light?

No, she knew exactly what evil was coming, and they were coming hard and fast.

Could she protect them from the fate that they will soon meet? Would she be able to mend the breaking of the fellowship?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Saruman stood in his tower looking over his army. The mark of the white hand could be seen even from this height.

"Hunt them down," he ordered to the troops. "Do not stop until they are found. You do not know pain. You do not know fear. You will taste man flesh!"

He raised his hand in triumph, and the barbaric sounds of howls and growls could be heard below.

Saruman walked away, and met the captain, Lurtz in the middle of the seeing stone room.

"One of the halflings carries something of great value. Bring them to me alive and unspoiled. Kill the others!" he directed.

Lurtz grunted in understanding, and made a move to leave.

"Wait, one more thing," the wizard said, fingering the palantir. "There might be another…a woman that I want. If she is with them, knock her out and bring her as well. Do not allow her to be fully awake, or it will be the last thing you do."

"No woman with trick me," he rasped. "Does she have to be…unspoiled too?" Lurtz asked with a twisted smile.

"Yes," Saruman scolded quickly. "No one is to touch her, unless absolutely necessary. She must be whole."

"Fine," Lurtz grumbled. "As you wish, master Saruman."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Quick note, if you look back to 21, you will remember that Saruman is aware the Abigail exists.

This chapter is not very exciting, I overall don't like it that much, but I needed something here before next time. I will probably rewrite this some day, but I wanted to post on time and you get the general idea.

Next Chapter: Will Abigail change the fellowship's fate? Can Saruman succeed in capturing her? Update to happen either Wednesday or Thursday, most likely.

Thanks to "tres bien" reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83: Oops, I didn't mean for that to be a cliffie. I'm glad you approve the chapter. When I first started out I was only going to have, like, 2 memories, but then I branched out. And I hope the little Oo's will make for better page breaks. Thanks!

writin4fun15: Ah yes, I love the plot twists. Perhaps Abigail isn't so innocent. I hope I never have writers block, too! Thank you!

Daughter of Arabia: Thank you, thanks you very much.

nightskylover: Hello new person! I'm very happy to hear you like the story so far. As always, I do apologize for all the typos. I am trying to read through more carefully so there are less, and I do plan to fix the other chapters at some point. Thanks, please review again!

Narnian Sprite: I told you she was going to get her memory back sometime in the middle. Have faith in Mystic! LOL, thanks and I'm glad you enjoyed.

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: I'm happy you're happy about the chapter! Boromir's fate will be decided next chapter, so stick around. Thanks!

Questions, comments or concerns? Please contact MysticNight9 through the review button.

Until we meet again!

-MN9


	31. Broken Fate of the Fellowship

I'm in a good mood. We got to eat bagels in math class.

Izzy: That's what puts you in a good mood? BAGELS?

MN9: What else could possibly make me happy?

Izzy: Starting the stupid chapter.

Readers: Yay!

MN9: Oh sure, take her side (glares at readers). Maybe I'll just stop here.

Readers: No! Bagels are good! Continue!

Disclaimer: Yada, yada, yada, I don't own Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 30 Recap:

"Wait, one more thing," the wizard said, fingering the palantir. "There might be another…a woman that I want. If she is with them, knock her out and bring her as well. Do not allow her to be fully awake, or it will be the last thing you do."

"No woman with trick me," he rasped. "Does she have to be…unspoiled too?" Lurtz asked with a twisted smile.

"Yes," Saruman scolded quickly. "No one is to touch her, unless absolutely necessary. She must be whole."

"Fine," Lurtz grumbled. "As you wish, master Saruman."

Chapter 31:

The following day was another time of rowing and reflective silence. But the sky seemed clearer and the air crisper. Even Abigail felt a bit lighter.

Night came, and the sailed under the stars for a while before heading into shore.

Abigail, last out of her boat, paused for a moment and looked up at the sky.

"It's so bright, and yet dark at the same time," she mused.

"What was that?" Frodo asked, just behind her.

"Nothing," she smiled. "There were many nights like this in Lorien. You would find a gap in the trees, lay down in the cool grass and stare for hours."

She sighed, pulling her bag from the canoe. "A true moment of peace, even in the worst times. " She looked at Frodo. "The stars are always there if you look hard enough. Even the smoke of Mount Doom cannot kill the lights."

"Keep your head held high?" Frodo said.

"Heh, something like that," she laughed lightly. "Come on, let's not get too far behind the others."

Legolas was just up ahead, waiting for the two that fell behind. He had faintly heard Abigail's words, and it made him smile as well. He had a quick mental image of the yellow lights of Mirkwood, standing out against the dark green pines, mimicking a different colored night.

He caught Abigail's eye as she passed, and smirked slightly.

"What?" she asked.

"It's nice to have you back with us," he told her.

She nodded in understanding. "My mind had been wandering for a while."

"Yes, but it is not that unexpected. There is much to reflect on."

"Well, what an understanding bunch of men," she said, sarcasm in the back of her tongue.

He rolled his eyes, and walked just ahead of her to the camp.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Boromir was taking a night post, when he thought he saw something moving in the water. He got up to go tell someone, but Aragorn was already there.

"Gollum," the ranger said simply. "He has tracked us since Moria. I had hoped we would lose him on the river. But he's too clever a waterman."

"And if he alerts the enemy to our whereabouts, it will make the crossing even more dangerous," Boromir added.

Aragorn scratched his chin. "I am no longer sure if Gollum is still under the influence of Sauron. He could be following his own will."

"Which is still not much comfort," mumbled Boromir.

"Aragorn, why all the trouble to come in from the north? Minis Tirith is the safer road. You know this. We can gather our bearings and strike out from a place of strength," he reasoned.

"There is no strength in Gondor that can help us," Aragorn replied bitterly.

"You were quick enough to trust the Elves. Have you so little faith in your own people? Yes, there is weakness. There is frailty. But there is courage also, and honor to be found in Men. But you will not see that," Boromir continued.

Aragorn went to walk away, not wanting an argument, but Boromir grabbed him in the back.

"You are afraid! All your life, you have hidden in the shadows. Scared of who you are, of what you are."

Aragorn spun around and met Boromir in the face.

"I will not lead the Ring within a hundred leagues of your city."

He looked ready to hit Aragorn, but a voice stopped him.

"Boromir, your shift is over," Abigail said sternly.

He looked at her, surprised at the interruption.

Her face softened a little. "Go to sleep. There is no more conflict here."

Boromir considered ignoring her, but knew she was right. This was not the time or place to fight.

"Very well," he nodded and left the area briskly.

"One more day on the river, and then we go by foot," Aragorn said, plainly trying to change the subject.

"You knew that would bother him. What right do you have to insult his home?" she said, the harshness back in her voice.

"I spoke the truth. Otherwise he would see no other reason," he said bluntly. "You want me to treat him like a child?"

"Perhaps."

He looked at her, confused by what she meant.

"He always will be the son of the steward, so Gondor is a sensitive subject. He will defend it without thinking, almost like a brash child. You would react just as quickly if your homeland was insulted," she explained, looking him in the eye.

He turned his head so he wouldn't have to face her.

"I have no homeland to defend," Aragorn said.

"Then why are you doing this?" she asked.

The honesty of the question caught him off guard. For some reason, he felt as if he could not give the right answer, or at least one that would satisfy Abigail.

"Go back to bed, I will take this watch," he said quietly, still not facing her.

Abigail felt guilty; she had not meant to hurt his honor. He was a great leader; she was out of place questioning his morals.

Her hand reached out. She had the desire to stroke his face, to comfort him. But she caught sight of the Evenstar for a second and withdrew. Why did it pain her so much to look at that necklace?

Abigail was a standing bit behind him; so only out of the corner of his eye did he see her hand move. He was surprised to find himself thinking how comforting it would have been to feel her soft skin against his.

Instead, though, he saw her stop and turn away.

"Goodnight, then" she whispered.

Aragorn sighed and slumped against a tree.

'I can never say anything right around her, anymore,' he thought sadly.

Abigail crawled slowly back into her blanket and fingered her bracelet nervously, a bad habit she quickly picked up.

"I always screw it up when I'm around him," she thought.

In the beginning, they felt happy that they could be alone together, because it was peaceful. But when it was over someone was either hurt or sad. Often they were hurt, because of a form of mental or verbal abuse, even if they had not intended to do so. Often they were sad, because one had to leave and the other already had a commitment. Both had the fault of hiding their true feelings, so if any were to notice the connection between the two, they would realize that no confessions would happen for a long, long time.

(A/N-That whole last paragraph was basically for you readers who keep asking, "why aren't they hooked up yet?" Do you see where I'm going with this?")

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The next day, Aragorn and Boromir did a wonderful job of avoiding each other, and it seemed Aragorn was trying to ignore Abigail as well.

If any other fellowship members noticed this, they didn't say anything.

A highlight was when they passed the majestic statues of Argonath. Even if they were crumbling in places, the statues held their kingly look.

At mid-afternoon, Aragorn suddenly asked them to pull over and get out of the boats.

"We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north," he instructed.

Abigail was suddenly very alert. If memory served her well, this was the day that the uruk-hai attacked.

'Okay, maybe if I try to make sure we all stick together, or convince him we leave now,' she thought, trying to come up with a plan.

She decided a good thing to do would be to talk to Boromior. He was leaning against a rock, cleaning his shield or something. She approached cautiously.

"Boromir? You alright today?" she asked.

He looked up. "Oh, I'm fine. Listen, Abby…thanks for stopping me yesterday. I think it could have been bad."

"Don't mention it," she said, plopping down beside him. "Aragorn, too, was out of place. But for the sake of everyone it would be a bad idea to fight."

"I know, it's just, you know how worried I truly am for Gondor. To hear that fear confirmed, even by an outsider…" he trailed off, hoping she go what he was saying.

"I understand," she nodded, "but you should not be so afraid. Gondor has noble and brave people. If it's any help, I do not believe they fight in vain. We will not see the kingdom fall."

He smiled weakly, but he was happy.

"Thank you, Abigail. You are a good friend. Better then I would have imagined when we started this."

She laughed lightly," I could say the same. So, as a friend, can I ask you to do something?'

"Sure, what?"

"Stay in camp today. Don't wander off alone or anything."

"Okay, but why?" he asked, not knowing why she was so worried.

"Just, trust me. I don't think it's safe."

"Fine, mother," he mocked her.

"Well, mother knows best," she countered.

"How do you always have a reply?"

"It's a gift," she shrugged. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have some 'personal business' to take care of in the bushes over there."

"What business could you have with a bush?" Pippin asked, clearly confused.

Abigail laughed and walked away.

Merry came over and whispered something into Pippin's ear.

"Oh. Why can't she just say that?" the poor hobbit said.

"She has more fun this way," Boromir smiled.

Moments later, he noticed Frodo wander away from camp, when no one else did.

He thought about what Abigail said, but he knew this was his chance.

'I won't go far. And technically I'm not alone,' Boromir thought. He got up and silently slipped away from camp.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail was walking up and down the shore, but not too far away from the camp. She was looking for signs of orcs, or trying to sense them. The eastern show looked and felt pretty safe.

'Perhaps I can convince Aragorn to let us go now,' she thought.

Suddenly, and alarm went of in her head.

'The ring is in use. But why would Frodo?"

Realization hit. Boromir hadn't listened to her.

"Argh, I should have stayed with him myself!" she yelled, and ran back to camp as fast as she could.

When she arrived, everyone was already gone, with their weapons missing too.

"This is not good!"

She quickly picked up her daggers and bow. However, she had only run about 50 feet, when she ran into something solid.

"Frodo!" she cried, "Are you hurt?"

"No, but the orcs are here…there's so many, he told me to go," he tried to explain.

"Aragorn?"

He nodded.

"Still, you are not one to run away from a fight by yourself. You leaving, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes," he didn't try to deny it. "And don't stop me."

"No, I knew this day would come."

"Galadriel said this was my own task, that no one else could do it. I only now realize how literal that is."

"Frodo, before you go, please know that I hold to my oath. I would have risked anything to help you," she pleaded. "And remember you are never alone. Stay alert, the enemy will still hunt every step, but you are never without friends either. We will still fight for you, for the freedom and good of Middle Earth."

She knelt down and gave him a hug.

"I leave you now, but you are always in my thoughts."

"Thank you, Abby. I really can't thank you enough for helping and believing in me."

She stood up, and ruffled his hair one last time.

"This is not failure. The fellowship holds true. We may yet see each other in the end."

The roars of the orcs were coming close now.

"Go now! Good luck!" she shouted, as she ran towards the fight.

"Goodbye," he said, though it was impossible for her to hear him.

Then he went and ran as well, unaware that the faithful Samwise was following close behind.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

'I must find Boromir!'

This was her only thought. She couldn't stop Frodo from leaving, but she hoped she still had a chance to save her friend.

Out of nowhere, a group of 10 uruk-hai came from behind the trees.

"I don't have time for you!" she yelled. She pulled out her bow, and fired five arrows in a row, killing 5 orcs.

'Take that, Legolas,' she thought proudly.

She put her bow away, and pulled out her long daggers.

Her smaller figure moved gracefully between the uruk's.

(A/N-I'm not really sure of the plural form of uruk-hai, so for now I'll just say uruk's)

She took careful aim for the neck, because of their armor. With her being so close, it wasn't that hard and soon they were dead.

She straightened up to run again just in time to see Boromir…as he was hit with a second black arrow.

His body seemed to convulse in slow motion. He was trying so hard to stay standing.

"Boromir!" she screamed, the tears already streaming down her face.

Merry and Pippin were distracted by her voice, and the enemy took this time to grab the two hobbits.

"Abigail!" they cried for help. The uruk's turned, and stated to run away.

"No! Put them down!" she yelled.

They paid no attention to her.

"I said stop!" she screamed.

She dropped her daggers and thrust her hands out.

About 7 or 8 orcs were pulled back by her power.

They looked confused, but nonetheless they charged at her.

Without blinking she levitated them in the air, one by one and threw them into any rocks or trees she could see.

OoOoOoOo

"What's going on back there?" Merry asked Pippin.

"I dunno, I can't look back far enough to see."

OoOoOoOo

'Merry, Pippin where are you?' the sane part of her brain thought. She was scanning the dead bodies, but could not find her friends.

She was distracted by another group of orcs, and didn't see Lurtz coming up behind her.

He whacked her on the back of the head with the blunt end of his sword, and she crumbled to the ground unconscious.

"Take the wench to Saruman as well!" he ordered.

One came up and did as he said, and ran away with Abigail slung over his shoulder.

"Let me finish the mortal scum!" Lurtz said to himself.

Boromir was face down on the ground, and didn't have the strength to turn himself over.

Lurtz could see he was still breathing, though, so he knocked the third arrow in his bow.

'Too easy,' he thought.

Suddenly, and arrow pierced the uruk in the arm, causing him to miss Boromir's head by inches.

Aragorn came rushing in, swing his sword wildly.

Lurtz didn't have time to react before his head was cut off in one swipe.

Aragorn knelt down to the ground, and turned Boromir over carefully. Legolas and Gimli were soon by his side as well.

There was one arrow in his shoulder, the other in his stomach. Both were deep wounds and bleeding heavily.

All three knew he was beyond saving.

"No," Aragorn whispered.

"Mer-y, Pip-they took them," Boromir said, spitting on a few drops of blood. "Frodo…"

"Frodo is beyond us, I let him go," Aragorn said gently.

"Forgive me, I c-couldn't see. I f-failed."

"Nay. You fought bravely, your honor is in place."

"The world of men will fail, I can see the city falling," he cried.

"By whatever power is given to me, I swear I will not let the city or our people fail," Aragorn assured, placing a hand on his friends shoulder.

Boromir grasped his arm. "Our people," he smiled faintly. His expression changed.

"Tell Abigail, I'm s-sorry. I heard her cry, but I can not see her."

"All will be done. I give you my word," Aragorn said, though he too could not find Abigail.

Boromir reached for his sword, and Aragorn gave it to him.

"I would have followed you, my brother. My captain. My king," said Boromir with his last breath.

Then his chest stopped moving, and his head rolled to the side.

Aragorn gingerly kissed his fallen comrades brow.

"Be at peace, Son of Gondor."

Legolas and Gimli bowed their heads in respect.

OoOoOoOoOo

Aragorn and Gimli watched with silent sadness as the boat holding Boromir's corpse fell over the falls of Rauros.

Legolas returned to the beach.

"Did you find anything?" Gimli asked, with hope and dread.

"Only these," replied the elf, and held out two elven daggers. "No sign of her, though. Alive or dead."

"If she were dead she would have been next to the daggers, because alive she would not have dropped them willingly," Aragorn said.

"Could the uruk-hai have taken Abigail with them as well?" Legolas said, his face full of worry and confusion.

"But why? They would not mistake her for keeping the ring. What other motive do they have?" Gimli wondered.

"I only have a few guesses, each more horrid and unlikely then the next," Aragorn said after a pause. "It is obvious that Saruman has a reason, which is no better. No matter what, though, we know he has Merry and Pippin and we will not leave them to torment and death. No while we have strength."

He stood tall and tightened his armbands and sheathed Abigail's daggers on his person.

"Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light."

A determined gleam came into the rangers pale eyes.

"Let us hunt some Orc."

And now we have reached the turning point (in a sense). Though this story isn't really in two parts, this is about the half way mark. And it's already been 31 chapters. Whoa.

Thanks to super-duper reviewers:

Narnian Sprite: Yay for positive thoughts! Thanks!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Your mob sounds more vicious each time. But no worries, I always try to update. ASAP. Thanks you!

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: The joy of having a laptop is that your mother can't kick you off it (somehow mine still manages to, though). Many thanks!

writin4fun15: Ah, very perceptive (I was waiting for someone to ask me this). I'm still debating a little bit on whether to with movie or book versions in many places. I do have a plan for helms deep, though, but I'm not going to tell you (sorry). Thanks!

ArwenEvenstar83: EWWWWWWWW! There is not way that I would ever let Abigail be raped by Grima! Gah, I couldn't write that, too weird for my taste. No way, I promise you, is that going to happen. Still, thanks for another good review!

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: I'm glad you liked it. I never think my chapters are that great, because I've read so many other amazing stories that are much better. But is wonderful to hear you give me some credit. Thank you!

As usual, another chapter should be coming out this weekend.

Live life to the fullest (and keep reviewing now and then!).

-MysticNight9


	32. Capture and Escape

Ha. I slept until noon today. Which kind of sucks it a way because now I won't want to sleep tonight and I have school tomorrow.

Izzy: You were the one who choose to wake up at 5 am on a Saturday.

MN9: I had a tournament. I didn't have a choice.

Izzy: Oh yes, the gods forced you to get up insanely early.

MN9: Exactly! I can't disobey them. I mean remember what happened to you when you didn't listen.

Izzy: Let's not go over that again…

Disclaimer: I own Lord of the Rings…oops wait that's a typo. What I meant to say was THERE IS NO WAY THAT I OWN LORD OF THE RINGS. It belongs to Tolkien.

Chapter 31 Recap:

Aragorn said after a pause. "It is obvious that Saruman has a reason, which is no better. No matter what, though, we know he has Merry and Pippin and we will not leave them to torment and death. No while we have strength."

He stood tall and tightened his armbands and sheathed Abigail's daggers on his person.

"Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light."

A determined gleam came into the rangers pale eyes.

"Let us hunt some Orc."

Chapter 32:

Abigail was barely aware that she was moving, save for the blurred pictures moving past her. But she could not feel her legs; in fact it was hard to move any part of her body.

"My head," she moaned. Something felt sort of sticky in hair; it must have been blood.

'I was hit,' she remembered.

She opened her eyes all the way.

"Shit," she mumbled, when she realized she was bound and slung over an orc. She had been captured along with Merry and Pippin.

Speaking of which, she tried to raise her head to see her she could find her little friends.

Moments later, she spotted them ahead of her, bound and being carried as well, but they were passed out.

"No," she said quietly. The orc heard her and turned his head.

"Hey Katrez, the wench is awake," it called out.

"I'm not a wench," she protested, out of habit. She assumed Katrez was some sort of leader.

"Shut your mouth!" Katrez said, bumbling over.

"What have you done to my friends? Release them at once!" she shouted, or at least tried to sound angry.

"Aren't you a spitfire, too bad we have to save you," he grinned grotesquely.

"Touch me and you die!" she warned in a low voice, finding some strength and trying to use her power.

Katrez stumbled at bit, but didn't fall down (which was what she meant to do).

"That all you got? Ha!" he laughed. "And the wizard tried to warn me about you being dangerous. Better follow orders, though," he said, picking up a nearby rock.

'How could Saruman know to warn them?" she thought, but was cut short but a painful blow and then nothing.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

As far as Merry and Pippin could tell, this was their third day of them being captive.

By now they had realized Abby was with them, but she was only conscious sometimes for a minute before they knocked her out again.

They had shouted against it, of course, but after being beaten the first time they stopped. Luckily, though, all three only had bruises and cuts, nothing fatal.

Though Merry was worried about the blood less Abigail was taking to the head.

"It's not right, why is she treated so harshly?" Merry whispered to Pippin once.

"Well, they aren't exactly custom to elvish courtesy or anything are they," replied Pippin sarcastically.

While he was worried for his life, Pippin was still very crabby without having eaten for a few days.

Merry shrugged, and closed his eyes, hoping when he opened them again they would be with better fortune.

Pippin stayed awake, thought, and was alarmed when the group of Uruk-hai stopped suddenly on a sunny afternoon.

"What is it?" a companion hissed.

"I smell man flesh," Katrez growled. "They've followed our trail. Move!" he ordered.

"Aragorn," Pippin exclaimed, feeling the smallest bit of relief.

He bent his head and bit at his brooch, tearing it off. Then he spit it into the ground, praying his friends could find the clue.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Not idly to the leaves of Lorien fall," Aragorn wondered, fingering the cold metal covered in mud.

Legolas stopped and stared at the pin.

"They may yet be alive. Can you tell who it came from?"

"The fabric is a lighter color, Abigail's elvish cloak was darker, still different from ours."

"That gives us hopes for the hobbits," Legolas said, somewhat happy that at least one of his friends was okay.

Aragorn stood up, still clutching the pin. "Less then a day ahead of us." He began to run again.

"Come Gimli! We're gaining on them!" Legolas called out.

"We dwarves are natural sprinters, very dangerous over short distances," he complained.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nightfall came on that third day.

"We ain't going no further, 'till we've had a breather," an orc protested. Other mumbling complaints came from the crowd.

Katrez rolled his eyes, "Get a fire going!"

The orcs scurried off towards the trees and started to chop.

Merry and Pippin inched and crawled their way to Abigail, who was on the ground about 15 feet from them.

"Abigail. Abby," Merry nudged her gently.

"Are you alright? Please say something," Pippin urged.

She coughed. "Don't worry lads, I'm only pretending," she said in a horse voice.

"Smart idea," Merry said.

She smiled weakly. "I thought so too. This way I can keep and eye on ya. Make sure you don't get into any trouble."

"I think we're already in trouble, Abby," said Pippin, nervously.

She studied a blade of grass. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you two. I tried to stop them, I really did-"

"But then they took you as well," Merry finished. "It's not you fault, though I don't understand why they did take you."

"You aren't really mistaken for a hobbit," Pippin agreed.

"I'm not really sure either," she said, "but we need to get out of here."

"Bit hard, seeing as we're tied up. And you're in no condition to run for it," Merry said, being the logical one.

"Forget my poor health, we need to leave before they discover we don't actually have IT. Then we're really in trouble," she explained, IT being the ring, of course.

"We can bluff it for one more day, until then you need to sleep…or something," Pippin said.

She was touched. Two little hobbits risking their lives so she could have a nap.

_Spend all your time waiting_

_For that second chance_

_For a break that would make it okay_

_There's always one reason_

_To feel not good enough_

_And it's hard at the end of the day_

_I need some distraction_

_Oh beautiful release_

_Memory seeps from my veins_

_Let me be empty_

_And weightless and maybe_

_I'll find some peace tonight_

Suddenly, Merry and Pippin were being dragged away from her.

"Hey!" she knelt up, forgetting that she was supposed to be unconscious.

"Ah, princess has stirred again," and orc jeered.

She whipped around at the pet name; it reminded her of what her stupid father used to do.

"What don't you just lie back down," he said, pushing her to the ground.

"What did I say about touching me?" she whispered, her anger level rising.

The orc couldn't reply, though, because that second a long wooden spear drove through his back.

She lifted her head to see a group of horseman and warriors charging towards them.

'Right on time,' she thought.

The orcs began to run in all directions. Some were fighting, some were trying to find weapons and some were just running away.

The two orcs that had been holding Merry and Pippin dropped them and left.

Abigail took a sword from a fallen orc and cut her own binds. Then she crawled over to Merry and Pippin and did the same.

"Let's get out of here," she told them.

She helped them up, and they dodged between men and horses.

She stopped running, though, right before they reached the forest's edge.

'I can't go in with them. I might lead them away from Treebeard by mistake. Only by their own path will they find him and Gandalf,' she thought.

"Abby, come on!" Pippin shouted.

"Uh...lads, you go in first, I'll make sure no one follows."

"What?"

"Listen, just get in the forest and keep running as far as you can. Don't look back or wait for me," she instructed.

"Abigail, that's insane. No one will follow," Merry insisted.

"Trust me! Just do it! Keep running and don't stop!" she yelled, and pushed them in the trees.

"I'll find you, I promise!" she called over her shoulder as she ran back towards the fighting.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The hobbits stumbled a little as she pushed them in, and then they watched as she disappeared into the madness.

"Run without her? What is she talking about?" Pippin asked.

"I don't know. But she said to trust her, and she sounded dead serious. She wants us to go on," Merry replied.

There was the rustling of a bush, and the two turned to see a cut-up orc stumbling in their direction.

"I'll make a hide out of you!" he snarled.

The hobbits stopped arguing, and did as Abigail said. They ran.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"This was not one of my more brilliant plans," Abigail said to her self. She had just finished killing an uruk-hai.

She looked to her left to see a horse charging at her and a rider with a drawn sword.

She quickly jumped and ducked away from the blade.

"Do I look like a bloody orc?" she yelled after the rider.

Suddenly a hand grabbed her ankle and made her fall down. She was about to kick the figure, when she realized it was a man.

"Help me," he groaned.

She saw he had a bad cut across his shoulder. It already looked infected.

She looked around, the fighting would stop soon, and almost all the enemy was dead. She didn't want to risk being caught again.

"Please," he spoke again.

She sighed softly, knowing she couldn't leave him here to die.

"Alright, hold only," she whispered.

There was a horse, standing near them. She walked up quietly and searched the saddle.

"Ah-ha," she found a flask of water.

She returned to the man and poured some water on his wound, trying to clean it up a bit. Then she ripped off a piece of her skirt, and used the cleaner side to bandage it.

"That should keep you steady until a real healer," she told him.

"Thank you, my lady," he managed to say.

"My pleasure," she smiled, "But please tell no one I was here."

Well, even before she finished that sentence, the man passed out. She didn't have to worry about him talking anytime soon.

With her work done, she carefully made her way back to the forest.

Her plan had been to follow far behind Merry and Pippin so she wouldn't interfere.

But she had forgotten how hard it is to follow footprints on a forest floor filled with sticks, leaves and other problems.

"Damn me and my stupid logic," she sighed. "I should have just gone with them. It probably would have been fine."

But deep down she knew she wouldn't have, because it was so important that Merry and Pippin find Treebeard. If that didn't happen, maybe Isengard would never be destroyed. She did not know how precious the balance might be in this world. The last thing she wanted to do was set it off.

So she continued to wander, without knowing she was heading in the opposite direction of Merry and Pippin.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"What are the casualties?" Eomer asked Giedd, one of his fellow riders.

"So far we have only counted two dead. Many are wounded, but not fatally. The horses helped a great deal," Giedd answered.

"Is anyone fatally wounded?"

"Sir Namian has a bad wound on his shoulder. It came very close to his heart. Currently, he is unconscious but…his wound has already been bandaged."

Eomer slowly came to a stop. "How?"

"No one quite knows, my lord. None of the men have claimed to have done it, but judging how much blood has soaked through we assume it's been on there for a while. Sometime during the fighting."  
"We were outnumbered in battle. True my soldiers are trained to leave no one behind, but they would not stop in the middle of a close fight. It is too risky," Eomer quickly explained.

"I meant no accusation to you soldiers obedience, my lord. But someone did stop to tend to him, and most likely saved his life," Giedd said calmly.

Eomer said nothing and only studied the scene before him.

'Who else was here?' he thought.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail was stumbling and tripping over the tiniest rock and root.

Her lack of food and water was causing her to become very weary and clumsy.

Her wounds were catching up to her as well. Every bone in her body felt sore and she had the worst headache, her vision was spinning.

"How many times did they hit me with a stupid rock?" she mumbled.

Finally, she collapsed against a tree and slowly slid to the ground. She pulled her cloak as tight as she could to get some warmth.

"This life look so glamorous on the big screen," she said sarcastically.

_So tired of the straight line_

_And everywhere you turn_

_There's vultures and thieves at your back_

_And the storm keeps on twisting_

_You keep on building the lie_

_That you make up for all that you lack_

_It don't make no difference_

_Escaping one last time_

_It's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh_

This glorious sadness that brings me to my knees

Even sitting down she felt dizzy. To stop the world from tipping, she closed her eyes and prayed for darkness to take her away.

_In the arms of an angel_

_Fly away from here_

_From this dark cold hotel room_

_And the endlessness that you fear_

_You are pulled from the wreckage_

_Of your silent reverie_

_You're in the arms of the angel_

_May you find some comfort here_

_You're in the arms of the angel_

_May you find some comfort here_

Remember, sometimes I will put a song in just to set the mood or feeling of a chapter. The 'three hunters' will be in the next chapter a bit more, but I'll be switching POV's a lot more too (like I did in this one).

Thanks to reviewers-

ArwenEvenstar83: I think I got the whole "bush" skit from a movie or something. I just remember I thought it was hilarious. And as you can see, Abigail got away from the orcs so there will be not 'problems' with Grima. And gibberish is fun!

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: It is sad to see Boromir go, but it works in the big scheme of things. I didn't know what I would do with him otherwise. I haven't worked out the exact details on how Arwen will be out of the picture, but I have a general idea. I'm not going to kill her, I can tell you that. Maybe Abigail will see Galadriel again, maybe not. It's one of those things that even I have to wait and see on. Thank you!

writin4fun15: Some were wondering what I would do with Boromir, but overall I'm trying to stick as close to the book I can, because it's a reflection of what Abigail knows. I hope that makes some sense. Thanks!

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: Yeah, I curse and love the day I found fanfiction, because it's so much fun, yet I've skipped lots of homework and lost a lot of sleep over it.

Samantha-Girl Scout: Hmm…maybe you and your mob have control issues. Lol, thanks for caring!

Narnian Sprite: Yes, may Boromir rest in peace. I'm happy that people are sad and not angry about it, though.

White Blossom of Gondor: Hello new person! Welcome to the party (well, kind of). I'm thinking maybe I should put more cliffies because it makes you readers review faster. Abigail avoided Saruman this time, but maybe not forever. Thanks and please post again!

Expect another update Wednesday or Thursday.

Until we meet again!

-MysticNight9


	33. Seperation

Nothing to report. I just want to get this posting.

Disclimer: The song from the previous chapter is **"Angel" by Sarah McLachlan**, so I don't own that. I don't own Lord of the Rings either, it belongs to Tolkien.

Chapter 32 Recap:

Abigail was stumbling and tripping over the tiniest rock and root.

Her lack of food and water was causing her to become very weary and clumsy.

Her wounds were catching up to her as well. Every bone in her body felt sore and she had the worst headache, her vision was spinning.

"How many times did they hit me with a stupid rock?" she mumbled.

Finally, she collapsed against a tree and slowly slid to the ground. She pulled her cloak as tight as she could to get some warmth.

"This life look so glamorous on the big screen," she said sarcastically.

Even sitting down she felt dizzy. To stop the world from tipping, she closed her eyes and prayed for darkness to take her away.

Chapter 33:

Sam sulked while following behind Gollum. Frodo merely minded his feet and occasionally fingered the 'trinket' around his neck. The stench was getting fouler; the marsh was coming in sight.

"Wonder how the men are doing," Sam said suddenly.

"The men plus Abigail," Frodo reminded gently.

"Abigail? Master traveled with lady," Gollum spoke up. "Gollum never heard good things about ladies."

"Shut your mouth. She's kinder and better than you'll ever be!" Sam quickly protested.

"We know women to be troublesome, don't we precious," replied Gollum, shaking his head. "Wraith said nasty things about her once. Stupid hobbit," he grumbled.

"What was that?" asked Frodo, curious.

"Master wants to know more? Gollum doesn't know more. All wraith said was he would kill her in the end. It would find her because mean wraith put a scar in her side."

Frodo's eyes widened, ever so slightly. "A scar in her side…" he mumbled.

_Flashback:_

"_This might sound strange," he began slowly, "But today with the Nazgûl, I was wondering, why your side was hurting so much. I didn't see any blood or anything…" he trailed off._

"_I was wondering who would notice that," she spoke more to herself than to Frodo. "I suppose I'll just come out and say it. I was stabbed by a wraith, about 7 years ago."_

Gollum then stopped for another coughing fit, and didn't say more on the matter.

'They're specifically looking for Abigail? Why?" he thought to himself.

Sam noticed Frodo had his concentration face on.

"Mr.Frodo? Something wrong?"

"Oh.-no," said Frodo startled. "Just…reminiscing."

Sam barely knew what that meant, so he just shrugged it off and continued to walk.

(A/N- Kind of random, but it's a paragraph that came to mind with the encouragement of nightskylover. Thanks!)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The horses thundered past them as the trio hid behind a rock. Aragorn soon recognized the flags, and stepped out, Legolas and Gimli following behind him.

"Riders of Rohan! What news from the mark?" he shouted.

The riders turned, and quickly surrounded them, spears pointed forward in offense.

"What business does and elf, a dwarf and a man have in the Riddermark?" one man questioned. "Speak quickly."

Aragorn was almost expecting a cheeky remark from Gimli, so he intervened.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, this is Gimli son of Gloin, and Legolas of the woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan, and of Théoden your King," he explained, hoping this could bring some peace.

The leader sighed. "Théoden not longer recognizes friend from foe," he removed his helmet, "Not even his own kin."

'Éomer,' Aragorn realized. 'He's grown much.'

The soldiers directed their spears away from the center.

Éomer came down from his horse and approached Aragorn.

"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the King and claimed lordship over his lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan, and for that we are banished. Spies are everywhere, trying to bring more ruin. Suspicions are put on every man," the young lord said.

"We are no spies," Aragorn assured. "We track a party of Uruk-hai, moving west across your lands. They have taken our friends captive."

"We slaughtered the Uruks during the night, and we left none alive."

"But what about two hobbits?" Gimli pressed on. "Did you see two hobbits?"

"There are small, Halflings. Only children to your eyes."

Éomer shook his head.

"Did you by chance see a woman?" Aragorn asked, not giving up yet.

Éomer looked equally confused.

"She's fairly tall. Surely you could have differenced her from the others," said Legolas.

"I do not recall any woman," Éomer said, then looking at his men. They all mumble their disagreement.

"Dead? All of them?" Gimli spoke sadly.

"I am sorry," Éomer said, truly apologetic. He turned and whistled. "Hasufel, Arod."

A white and a brown horse came through the crowd. The reins were handed over to Aragorn.

"Made these horses bare you better fortune than their former masters."

The three nodded with silent thankfulness.

"Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It is forsaken in these lands. Farewell." The horse master looked to his troop. "We ride north!" he commanded.

The riders were gone in a moment, but Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli hardly noticed. They were pained by this news, but would not give up everything.

"Let us go to the field, and pray we find no evidence of their…demise," Aragorn suggested, mounting the brown horse called Arod.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Giedd," Namian softly called for his friend.

"You shouldn't talk. You're parched enough," Giedd replied.

"Earlier…I heard a conversation. Who were they?" Namian asked, ignoring the suggestion.

"Just some travelers, searching for their friends. Apparently the Uruks had some captives. Two…what were they…hobbits and a woman. But no one saw anything," Giedd said, staring at his dinner.

Namian attempted to chuckle, but it turned into a cough. "Well, I am not a no one, for I did see a woman. It was she who stopped to take care of me."

"What? How did no one notice?" asked an astonished Giedd.

"I believe you had your hands full of orc blood," Namian said plainly. "But I…uh…fell asleep before I knew what happened to her next."

Giedd snorted. "You didn't fall asleep. You fainted. Be a man about it," he joked.

"I did not faint. I merely closed my eyes for an extended period due to a well deserved battle wound," Namian countered.

Giedd rolled his eyes at his friends lie. "At any rate, I hope they are able to find her again."

"Indeed. Now, what is there to eat?"

"Salvage soup, your favorite," smiled Giedd.

"Ugh, I'm going to faint-I mean, fall asleep again. Wake me when you have roast chicken," Namian said, lying back down.

"Whatever you say," said Giedd, checking the bandages.

(A/N-I gave more personality to these two, because I might have them come back. I'm not sure yet. Continue)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail woke up to another blur, but this time it was a bright one.

"Good morning sunshine," she grumbled.

She wondered how long she had been out. A few hours? A few days?

She tried to think back to the story.

"Merry and Pippin have most likely reached Treebeard by now, and maybe Gandalf as well. The others have probably talked to Éomer, if they are not already in the woods. I wonder if they'll find me."

She studied her surroundings.

"Doubt it. I can't even find me," she said, mostly serious.

It was about then when realization really dawned on her.

She was lost without any weapon or possessions (namely clothes, because hers were currently ripped and filthy with dirt and blood). She could name a couple friends who were mad at her right now, and another friend who was…dead.

Tears started to form again at the thought of Boromir.

"How could I be so stupid? I knew he would follow Frodo, I knew he was suppose to die. Why would I abandon him even for a second?"

She hit herself in the head, but instantly regretted it for her head was already bruised enough.

"God. One of the last things I did was lecture him. I'm so sorry," she whispered, brushing the tears and hair out of her face.

Her hand leaned against the tree as she stood up shakily.

'I need to get out of here. I made an oath, and there's a lot left to do," she decided confidently. Haldir had taught her survival skills. She refused to be useless, even to herself.

She hobbled over to the closest stream, leaning against everything in her path for support.

She bent over to get a drink of water, and then tried to wash her face after seeing her muddied complexion.

"Aragorn, where are you?"

_And if there's a problem now,_

_Who will I turn to?_

_And if I should falter here,_

_Will you watch me go under?_

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The two horses galloped to the burning pile of orc and uruk-hai carcasses. They might have minded the smell more if they weren't so worried about their friends.

Aragorn and Legolas scanned the area searching for something, anything that might help. Gimli prodded through the bodies, also looking for a sign.

Not much later, the dwarf's axe head came upon a small leather strap.

He picked it up for closer inspection, and noticed the detailed weavings.

"It's one of their belts," he announced sadly.

Aragorn punted a nearby helmet and screamed in despair. He fell to his knees.

Legolas remained calm, but his face was filled with sorrow.

"Hiro hyn hîdh ab 'wanath," he said in elvish prayer.

(May they find peace after death).

"We failed them," Gimli hung his head.

Aragorn, still on the ground, lifted his eyes and studies the dry grass and dirt.

"A hobbit lay here," he moved his hand to the right, "and another here."

He saw something else, and he continued to talk, almost amazed now.

"They moved," he said, following the trail. "Their hands were bound."

Sure enough, he found some rope. "Their bonds were cut. These track lead away from the battle," he said hopefully. But his face dropped. "Into Fangorn Forest."

"Again, we are reassured of the hobbits survival, but what of Abigail. Was she here as well?" Legolas asked.

Aragorn turned back to the cut ropes.

"1, 2…3," he smiled slightly. "There are three pairs of rope. There was another who was with them."

"Well isn't that dandy. We can be sure she was captured by ferocious orcs. But what else, any markings about her?" Gimli said impatiently.

"Unfortunately, she is too similar in size to the other men. I would not be able to tell," confessed the ranger.

"But if she had been killed the riders would have found her among the bodies. We can only hope that Abigail was, indeed, with Merry and Pippin," Legolas said, trying to raise his friend's spirits.

"Well, let's find our dear hobbits and ask them ourselves," said Gimli, as if it were that simple. The dwarf gave a wary look towards the woods. "Though I've never trusted the madness of this forest."

"Come, Gimli, it's only a few leaves and branches," Legolas said, stepping inside.

The elf was quickly followed by Aragorn, who in return was followed by a slow moving Gimli.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The water was very refreshing, and Abigail felt some of her strength returning. She walked almost normally, with just a little help from a long stick.

Her stomach was still angry, though, for it growled a reminder every now and then.

"Can you roast a squirrel?" she asked herself thoughtfully.

An angry chirp from above startle her. She looked up to see a small brown squirrel shaking a small fist at her.

"Fine, fine it was only a thought," she told it.

It chirped at her one last time and ran away.

"That was…odd," she said. "But, you know, this place isn't that bad looking in the daytime."

Rays of light were streaming through the canopy, making the moss shine and giving the trees a brighter shade of green. The smell of bark and sap was thick in the air, and some trees looked so old that that they were turning gray and gangly, just like a person would.

"If Ents weren't so hostile, it would be a lovely place to visit or even live," she decided.

Suddenly, she shook her head, "Focus, Abby, Focus. You're looking for an exit."

To keep her head occupied, she started to sing a song, something she remembered from the modern world (besides, the forest enjoyed music, didn't it?).

_Bring me back to you (bring me back to, bring me back to…)_

_You were, darker, deeper_

_While I was, closer to you_

_And you were only treading water_

_I couldn't hold on to you_

_And if there's a problem now_

_Who will I turn to?_

_And if I should falter here_

_Will you watch me go under?_

'_Cause I'm praying_

_Holding on to_

_A lifeline and a vision of you_

_So I'll keep praying_

_I'll keep holding on to_

_The faith I have, will bring me back to you_

…

_And in my dreams you fall_

_Through my finger_

_Still I sleep and_

_The sound of you lingers_

'_Cause I'm praying_

_Holding on to_

_A lifeline and a vision of you_

_So I'll keep praying_

_I'll keep holding on to_

_The faith I have, will bring me back to you_

_Bring me back to you…_

(A/N-The song is **"Praying" by Rachel Fuller**.)

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, I got kind of busy.

This was a bit of a chopped up chapter, with many different views.

The next one, I think I'll stick to Abigail's POV more, and I might jump ahead in the story (you'll see what I mean)

Many thanks to the following, cool, Reviewers:

Narnian Sprite: Yeah, Abigail will come to a solution. For today, though, she's just going to wander around Fangorn. Thanks for the comment!

writin4fun15: I know what you mean. I think 2 chapters a week is pretty good for updating. Sometimes I feel a little rushed, but like I said on my profile, I do want to finish this story as fast as I can so I can write another one (I don't want to do two at once). There will be future time for editing. Thanks for the kudos!

nightskylover: I threw a little bit of Sam and Frodo in their for ya. Overall, in this version they don't have a big connection to Abigail or anything, but I'm going to try to give them credit now and then. Thank you!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Well, mobs are destined to be problematic (like all weapons). So use them wisely. LOL, thanks!

ArwenEvenstar83: As promised, Abigail is now free from the claws of the Uruks (no raping!). Of course she's gonna be strong and smart (even if she is a mary-sue)! No heroine of mine will be wimpy! Jk, thanks!

Next chapter: Possible fast-forward to Helms Deep (not the battle, just to the site).

May you have lots of good fortune!

Izzy: And fortune cookies! Yummy!

-MysticNight9


	34. A Well Timed Miracle

Sorry I'm kind of late for posting! I had another busy weekend and a bit of a writer's block. So, without further ado, here's the chapter.

Disclaimer: Never have, never will own Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 33 Recap:

'_Cause I'm praying_

_Holding on to_

_A lifeline and a vision of you_

_So I'll keep praying_

_I'll keep holding on to_

_The faith I have, will bring me back to you_

_Bring me back to you…_

(Technically that's where the chapter ended. Not much of a recap though)

Chapter 34:

Legolas walked slowly over the roots of Fangorn Forest. The only sound was the steady creaking of the old trees. Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eyes.

"_Aragorn, nad no ennas!"_ he said hurriedly, and dashed over to his friends side.

"_Man cenich?"_ Aragorn asked, trying to follow the elfs gaze.

"The white wizard approaches," said Legolas, like it was a challenge.

Aragorn sighed. "Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us," he warned.

The other two nodded in agreement. Aragorn gave the signal, and they turned around to attack.

Legolas shot an arrow while Gimli threw a small axe; both were deflected by a blinding figure.

Aragorn's sword glowed a bright orange and burned his hands so he quickly dropped it.

The three shielded their eyes from the white light that was illuminating what seemed to be half the forest.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits. They passed this way, day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"

The voice was strange. It sounded like a blend of many tones and pitches, but they were fairly sure the figure was a man.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Aragorn demanded.

The light dimmed and the figure slowly removed his hands that were covering his face. Without any doubt, it was Gandalf.

"It cannot be," said Aragorn, both pleased and amazed at this surprise.

"Forgive us," said Legolas, dropping to one knee. Gimli did the same.

"You fell..." Aragorn started, not understanding.

Gandalf nodded. "Through fire, and water. On the lowest dungeon, on the highest peak I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth.

Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside." The old wizards eyes strained at the memory. "Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time. The stars field of end, and everyday was as long as a life age on the earth," he continued in a dreamy voice. His attention snapped back to the group in front of him.

"But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done."

"Gandalf!" Gimli said happily, finally finding his voice.

"Gandalf? Yes, I was called Gandalf the Grey. But he is still lost to you. I am Gandalf the white, and I come now at the turn of the tide."

He stepped off the forest platform and looked sharply at all of them. His face saddened suddenly.

"What is it?" Aragorn asked, concerned.

"I had hoped you would bring young Abigail with you," he explained quietly.

The shocked look came back on their faces.

"B-but she was with the hobbits! There was evidence-"

"_Was_ being the key term," Gandalf interrupted shaking his head. He started to repeat what Merry and Pippin had told him two days ago.

_OoOo Flashback OoOo_

"_Oh Gandalf, it's so good to see you," Pippin said while the hobbits hugged his robs._

"_You had us down-right worried for a while," agreed Pippin._

"_I am glad to see you as well," the wizard smiled kindly. "Now you have told me Frodo and Sam went off, Boromir is regrettably dead and that you have a hunch Aragorn is following you. Are the other three with our Strider?"_

"_Our best guess would be that Legolas are Gimli are with him," started Merry._

"_But it's anyone's guess as to where Abby is," finished Pippin in a low voice. _

"_What?"_

_The hobbits hung their head with hair covering their eyes._

"_She shoved us in the forest. Started babbling about how we had to go on without her," Pippin tried to explain._

"_We we're going to wait, we really were! But then the orc attacked us and we ran without thinking. We're sorry," said Merry, shame clearly detected in his voice._

_Gandalf leaned slightly against his staff. "And I was hoping to speak with here," he mumbled to himself and then cleared his throat._

"_Never fret, my friends. You made a smart choice. Abigail is the one who left you alone, for whatever the reason. I am sure she can find and make her way."_

_The hobbits perked up a little and nodded their heads._

"_Now, I want you to stay with Treebeard. I will sleep better knowing you are safe in his care."_

"_Gandalf, we want to stay with you!" Pippin protested._

"_No, no you shall stay here," Gandalf gently objected. "I may be off sleeping, but you have some waking up to do."_

_The two looked confused, but Merry still managed a smirk._

"_Some things never change. You still speak in riddles," he said._

_Gandalf gave a little chuckle. "I will see you all soon enough, farewell," he replied, and took his separate path._

_OoOo End Flashback OoOo_

"You cannot be serious! We came this close to finally be reunited, and now she is lost again. Maybe even dead!" Aragorn shouted, angrily sheathing his sword.

Gandalf raised an eyebrow at the rangers' outburst. "Do you really believe she is dead, Aragorn?"

The man sighed and calmed himself down. "No, but when I see her again I'll kill her myself."

Gimli snorted, "Oh I have my doubts about that, laddie."

"Abigail was always trying to win against the odds. She won't stop now," Legolas reasoned.

"My similar thoughts," said Gandalf. "But for you three…one stage of your journey is over and another begins. War had come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail had spent yet another hour lost in the forest, though she preferred the term 'exploring the forest'.

"After all the years of mapping skills, you think I could find my way of some dark, godforsaken-" the trees groaned impatiently, "uh, I mean quite charming forest," she said.

She stopped to braid her wild hair, but failed miserably, and ended up settling for a simple ponytail.

"Okay," she took a deep breath. "Whatever deity is up there, listen up please!" she shouted randomly.

"I know I'm not one of your kind, and not even a very deserving person overall. But there is still more I can do to help, I know it!"

She paused, not even knowing what she was expecting.

"Um-but if you could give me a little help here, it would be much appreciated."

Still silence.

Abigail sighed and shook her head. "I must be going crazy."

Suddenly, she heard a soft whinny off to her left.

"I really am nuts," she muttered.

She followed the sound, and was shocked when she stepped out of the forest into a golden pastured.

'Oh sure, I can't find my way out for days, but then I take two steps and I'm free,' she thought as she rolled her eyes. 'But who's complaining?'

Then, to top it all off, a beautiful black stallion came galloping up towards her.

She smiled broadly. "This is amazing."

The wind whipped around her, blowing back her dark hair and skirt.

The horse came up and started to nibble on a loose strand of her dark hair.

"Hello to you too," she cooed, gently rubbing his nose. She looked up and noticed he had white star on his forehead.

"Bold colors, and strong too," she said, observing the horse as a whole.

The horse replied by pushing her in the back playfully.

She laughed. "But you need a name," she scratched her chin. "I know… Veryohtar," she whispered.

The horse shook its mane, as if to say 'whatever'.

"It means bold warrior, I thought it was fitting."

The horse neighed softly.

She looked around. "Stay right there, okay Veryotar?"

There was a tree nearby, with some low branches. She climbed about two-thirds of the way up the trunk and looked for familiar landmarks. Directly west were the Misty Mountains. A little to the Southeast was River Entwash.

"Let's see, that puts me about halfway between Edoras and Isengard." She smiled slightly to herself. "In other words, I could be on a straight path to Helms Deeps."

She scurried down the tree and was relieved to find that Veryotar was stilled there.

"What do you say, boy? Want to take me on a little trip?"

To her pleasure, the stallion neighed enthusiastically and bobbed its head.

"Good, though it's been a while since I've ridden bare-back."

She swung her leg over and positioned herself on Veryotar, placing a steady hand on his neck.

"Thanks," she said, looking up at the sky. "Maybe it's time something good happens."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Yeah…again I'm sorry I'm late, and that this chapter is a bit shorter as well. But I have a long weekend because of President's day, so if I concentrate I plan to post two chapters.

Thanks to Reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83: Overall, I won't focus on Frodo and Sam's journey, but I realized it might be helpful if Frodo was a little suspicious. I like Namian and Giedd too, but I'm worried all my made up characters are too alike. I'll have to think of more different personalities. Thank you!

Narnian Sprite: Ooh, but curiosity killed the cat. Jk, good thing you aren't a cat. Thanks for happy thoughts!

writin4fun15: I've been good responses to the whole hobbits paragraph, but as said before I won't be talking about them too much. I guess that could change though, if people really wanted. I have a few other stories in mind (2 being LOTR), but I won't seriously start another story until "PotP" is completed. Sometime soon I will have previews, I think. Thanks!

Samantha-Girl Scout: I guess, but I promise Abby is going to die or something anytime soon, so you can't hate me that much. Oh, and Izzy thanks you for the cookies, I only wish she would share them with me. Thanks for reviewing!

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: Hmm, I don't suppose it will hurt to tell you they find her before the battle, but I still have my own little orginal plan up my sleeve. The battle will be hard, because it's the biggest fight scene, so I hope I can do it justice. Thank you!

Nightskylover: It was fun to write that little passage with Frodo and Sam, but it's hard to do 'Gollum speak' with all the first person. I would have never of thought of it without you, though, so I have to give you credit. Thanks!

Because of a wonderful creation called "stats", I know more than 7 people are reading story. So if you all could take 30 seconds to say something that would be really, really great.

Happy Valentines Day!

-MysticNight9


	35. Surpised?

La, la, la, la, la!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 34 Recap:

"Let's see, that puts me about halfway between Edoras and Isengard." She smiled slightly to herself. "In other words, I could be on a straight path to Helms Deeps."

She scurried down the tree and was relieved to find that Veryotar was stilled there.

"What do you say, boy? Want to take me on a little trip?"

To her pleasure, the stallion neighed enthusiastically and bobbed its head.

"Good, though it's been a while since I've ridden bare-back."

She swung her leg over and positioned herself on Veryotar, placing a steady hand on his neck.

"Thanks," she said, looking up at the sky. "Maybe it's time something good happens."

**(A/N-I am skipping the scenes at Edoras. Hopefully most, if not all of you, have read the book or seen the movie, so you know what happens there. All I could have added to it was some new dialogue, but the plot would be the same. So for the sake of time, we will be starting at the journey to Helms Deep. Thank you.) **

Chapter 35:

Aragorn leaned heavily against the long, tired from the slow and long days ride.

He wished to sleep, but Éowyn's words were still running through his head.

"Where is the woman who gave you that jewel?"

He fingered the Evenstar, something he did often. As he closed his eyes, he could have sworn he heard Arwen's voice whisper 'sleep.'

_oOoOo-The Dream-oOoOo_

_Arwen was dressed in a light purple gown with no sleeves. The fabric draped over her shoulders._

_He himself was no longer in rangers' clothes, but a fine gray tunic. _

"_This is a dream…" he argued softly._

"_Then it is a good dream," she smiled seductively, then leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss._

_They broke apart and she stroked his beard._

"_Sleep," she said again, and went up to stand by the pillar. _

_Seconds later her stood up and followed her._

_She glanced up._

"_Your face holds much worry. What troubles you?" she asked._

"_A…member of the fellowship is missing," he said, deciding not to say whom._

"_Is it Legolas?" Arwen asked, thinking he was worried about his best friend._

"_No, no he is well," he replied quickly. He sighed and actually looked away from Arwen. " It is Abigail."_

"_Oh…I'm sorry to hear that, she was nice," Arwen said slowly._

_But secretly she was thinking, "He is here with me, yet his thoughts are on another woman?"_

_Aragorn sighed. "But she is strong. I have hope that she is alive," he said. "But I am with you now. We should not be concerned." He stepped closer to her and hugged her waist gently. _

"_Still, your mind is elsewhere," she whispered, and hint of bitterness in her throat._

"_What?" Aragorn asked._

_He released his grip and walked around to face her._

"_Nothing, I just thought you would be happy to see me."_

"_I am," he objected, but still confused on where she was going with this._

"_But you would be happier knowing she was safe, no?" Arwen said, looking him hard in the eyes._

_She was trying to see if he was lying, but all she saw in his eyes was surprise._

"_I did not take you for the jealous type, Arwen," he said quietly._

"_I am not jealous of some mortal girl," the elf maiden said, exasperated. _

_She turned around and huffed over to another corner, her arms crossed._

_Aragorn stood still, shocked at the small outburst._

"_Don't you know I love you?" he asked her._

_Her hands dropped to her sides, and she went back over to face him._

"_I do know, and I'm sorry," she was honestly ashamed. "But it seems like it's been so long-"_

"_We've been apart longer," he intervened._

"_Things are different, this mission threatens both of us." She paused. "You've already changed."_

"_Arwen, are you trying to tell me something?" he asked, now really concerned._

_She shook her head. "Never mind." A calm smile came back on her face._

"_Dawn approaches, you must leave."_

"_But we've only just begun-"_

"_We will talk again, I promise," she cut him off. She kissed him on the forehead and then on his lips as a goodbye._

_oOoOo-End Dream-oOoOo_

Aragorn sat up suddenly and found himself back at the Rohan camp.

As Arwen had said, the morning sun was rising over the mountains.

He ran hand though his tangled hair.

'Did we just have a fight…over Abigail?" he asked himself.

"Good, you're up," Legolas said, walking over. "King Théoden says we should reach Helms Deep today, before sunset."

"Oh, good" said Aragorn absentmindedly.

"Anything wrong?" asked the intuitive elf.

"No…just a dream," he said, still sounding confused.

Aragorn stood up, and went to go find Arod.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

All the way in Rivendell, Arwen woke suddenly in her bed as well.

She was depressed at Aragorn's sudden lack of commitment, but she was not as sad as she would have expected.

Perhaps she had mentally been preparing herself for this day, after all her father's warnings.

"But do I really want to let him go?" she whispered to herself. She rested her head back on her pillow. The sun may be rising, but she did not want to face the day yet. She closed her eyes again, and surprised herself by falling into a peaceful sleep, ignoring the recent meeting.

(A/N-A big apology to Arwen lovers. Believe me, I think Arwen is a magnificent character. But because of the plot of my story, she will be acting out of character. I hope you understand and will keep reading.)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail had been traveling for three days on Veryohtar, and they had yet to run into anyone or anything.

But the other day, she had crossed into a village, or rather the remains of one.

All the houses had been burned down and only pieces of them were left standing. Awful corpses were spewed on the ground, children and adults alike. The enemy was obviously the wildmen, for their dead bodies could be found on the ground as well.

She had said an elvish prayer for all of them, hoping that they could find peace in some sort of afterlife.

The grotesque images were still bothering her though. Of course, he compassionate side wanted to stop and bury the poor souls, but logic told her to keep moving so she would reach Helms Deep in time. Her internal clock estimated she had less than a week to get to the refuge before the battle (but it was possible she had already missed it).

She got her answer, though, as she rode over a hill on the plains of Rohan.

"Valar save us," she whispered in shock.

Less then a mile to her right, she recognized the black flags of the urku-hai army, marching right towards her.

They were close enough that she could hear their slurred chants. They were ready for war at any given moment.

She knew that the army was coming and that they were powerful, but it was so daunting and almost terrifying to see them in person. No book had prepared her for the great task that was marching closer.

"I must be closer to Helms Deep than I thought," she said to herself. "The Rohirrim must be warned."

The black horse whinnied below her. He shifted his footing impatiently.

"Shh, Man le trasta Veryohtar?" she said, whispering in elvish.

(What troubles you, Veryohtar?)

Apparently, the horse was as nervous about the foul army as she was.

"You're right, we can't linger," she said, patting his neck. "Noro lim!"

The horse lunged into a fast canter.

She rode hard for hours before the stone barrier of Helms Deep came into view. The sun was high; it was probably not much past noon.

"Good, they will at least a small warning before they come."

Veryohtar was breathing heavily, though he didn't show any signs of weakness.

When they reached the gray path leading up to the main gate, she dismounted.

"Mae carnen, Veryo, mellon nîn."

(Well done, Veryo, my friend)

"Halt! Who approaches?" a watchman called out.

"I seek refuge, my friends are already inside. I assure you, I bring no harm to your people."

"Tis only a woman, open the doors."

Abigail considering a comeback for being called 'only a woman', but she held her tongue.

"Thank you," she said instead.

She led Veryohtar inside to the crowded streets. Every corner was packed with women, children and soldiers, but she was surprise that most looked content to be there.

'Too bad I know what lies ahead for them,' she thought sadly.

" 'Scuse me, my lady," a small voice came. She turned to see a teenage boy.

"Does your horse need some tending to?" he asked. "I can take him to the stables if you like."

She smiled. "That would be great. Could you make sure he gets some water, too? He's had a hard journey?"

The boy nodded. "Yes mam. I can even get him some hay as well."

"Thank you. Now, can you also tell me where the kings room is?"

"Sure. Take three flights of stairs, go to the left and it will be the middle wooden door, which is also the biggest." He paused. "But why do you want to go there? Do you know the king?"

"Not really, but there are still some people I need to talk with," she explained.

The boy shrugged, and left with Veryohtar.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Legolas wandered slowly around Helms Deep, observing the chores and tasks of the people. He was trying to keep himself occupied before they had to prepare for battle, whenever that was.

His keen sense of hearing detected shouting, not to far away. It sounded like an argument, and he decided to go investigate.

"I am telling you, I need to speak to the king!" a woman yelled.

"My liege had no time for the petty complaints of a girl. Find someone else to bother," the soldier said, clearly annoyed.

"I don't have a complaint, I have vital information that needs to be heard by thing king himself, and I refuse to-"

But Legolas stopped listening. As soon as he turned the corner, her realized whom the voice belonged to.

"Abigail?" he asked, for once doubting his gifted eyesight.

The woman immediately stopped shouting, and looked at him.

She seemed confused for a second, but then her face instantly lit up.

"Legolas!" she cried happily, and rushed to her friend.

Legolas welcomed the warm hug.

"Abigail, we had no idea where you were. What happened?" Hundreds of questions were swarming his head.

"Oh, this and that," she replied sarcastically.

Of course, he knew it was more then that by her ripped clothes and there were still lots of dirt and even a little dried blood on her.

"What about you? Is everyone all right? Any run ins with…wargs maybe?" she seemed to be hinting at something.

"No, no wargs," he said. "Why do you ask?"

She looked relieved.

'Apparently the book version by Tolkien is happening,' she thought.

"Never mind. What else?"

"Well, we found Merry and Pippin, in a way."

"What do you mean?"

Legolas took a deep breath, hoping she was ready for this.

"Abigail…Gandalf found them. He's alive."

"What? How?" she asked surprised (though she actually already knew this).

"Long story," was all he said.

They talked for another few minutes, and he was grateful to find that she was aware the Frodo and Sam were gone…as well as Boromir. Though a strange mixture of sadness and guilt came on her face when he mentioned his name. He also gave a short explanation about Éomer, Gandalf and Treebeard.

"Anyway, you said you had information for the king," Legolas said, changing the subject.

Her eyes widened. "I almost forgot! Can you get me in?"

"Of course. But should we wait for Gimli or Aragorn."

Her voice was caught in her throat at Aragorn's name. She hadn't forgotten that the last conversation she had with him was not pleasant. But overall, she felt strangely nervous at the thought of seeing him.

(A/N-See chapter 31 if you don't know what I am talking about)

"No, this can't wait. I should speak to Théoden now," she finally said.

Legolas wondered about the odd silence, but said nothing.

"As you wish, this way," he instructed her.

The guard saw Legolas and let them in without question.

Legolas heard Abigail mutter 'male chauvinism' under her breath.

He smiled. It was good to have her back.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Théoden looked up from his table at the sound of newcomers.

Legolas, come in," he said. The kings gaze quickly averted to Abigail. "And who is this?" he asked.

"May I present, Lady Abigail of Lorien, sir. She is a companion of ours, another member of the Fellowship," he explained.

"Ah, yes. I do recall the mention of a female warrior."

"I was only mentioned? I'm hurt Legolas," she said with mock angry.

The king chuckled. "They only had words of praise, my lady I assure you. Though it took me awhile to believe a women would willingly volunteer for such a journey."

"It has been established that I am…unusual time and time again your majesty. But I am happy with my choice," she defended, but not harshly.

"Indeed, it's a rare honor," he smiled kindly. "But from what I've heard about you, and from what I can see now, it was not a poor decision."

"Thank you, sire. That means a lot coming from you," she returned the smile. "But we have more important things to talk about," her face became serious.

"What is it?" asked Théoden.

"An army of orc and uruk-hai march towards us as we speak," she said, getting to the point.

Every face in the room became somber and grave.

"Is this Sauron's doing?" asked someone.

"No, the flags marked the white hand of Saruman."

"Have you seen this army yourself?" asked Théoden.

"Yes, when I was riding this morning."

"How large of a host?" he continued.

"10,000 strong at least. All of Isengard has been emptied" she spoke bluntly.

The kings' eyes held disbelief.

"How could they know where to strike and to bring so many?" questioned Legolas.

Abigail looked hard into Théoden's eyes, and they came to an understanding.

"Wormtongue," he said coldly, and punched a fist into the table. "I should have killed him when I had the chance."

"With all respect, my lord, you may have made an impression on him yet. You did the noble thing, letting him go," Legolas said calmly.

"He's right, sire. Saruman's has a long and greedy arm. He would have attacked anyway," Gamling agreed.

"Yes, but I was hoping we would have more time. I did not want to rush my people into a battle," Théoden said, rubbing his temples.

"I'm sorry, but time is not on our side. They will be here by nightfall," Abigail informed them, regretfully.

The kings eyebrows furrowed in determination.

"Let them come," he said proudly. "I want every strong man and boy able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall," he commanded to Gamling as he walked out of the room.

"Yes my lord," Gamling bowed, and left with the other soldiers leaving Legolas and Abigail alone in the stone hall.

"You do not look as confident," commented Legolas. "This place has protected these people for years, it has not failed them yet."

She just sighed. "The odds are against us by a great number, my friend. This army is not merely coming for the people of Rohan; it's coming to destroy the race of men. That is it's only purpose."

"And our purpose is to protect them," replied the wise elf.

She nodded thoughtfully. "And we shall. But first I'm going to need some new weapons and-"

"Legolas, what's going on? Théoden just left in a mad hurry," she was interrupted by a new voice.

She knew the voice well, and she bit her lip anxiously. She turned around slowly to face the wide-eyed expression of Aragorn.

"Um…hi," she said, her gaze more concerned with the floor than him.

He said nothing, except run closer and give her a tight hug. This surprised all of them a little, but she liked it nonetheless.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, not quite sure what she was sorry for, but it seemed needed. They both stepped back.

"Me too" he smiled. Though she would never really know how grateful he was to have her alive.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Okay. The Battle of Helms Deep is right around the corner. Because of my long weekend, I might be able to post as soon as Sunday or Monday.

Thanks to Reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83: Don't worry, I'll explain the horse somehow, even if it still will be a bit of a stretch. I wasn't about to let her walk to Helms Deep, though, so a horse was needed. I hope that'll make some sense, thanks!

Nightskylover: I love horses too, but I hardly get to ride anymore. I'm seriously jealous of the horse that I made up (which is kind of strange, but true). Thanks!

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: Yeah, that last chapter was only about 4 pages because I wanted to post something, but I had other things to do. Anyway, this one was longer and I hope you enjoyed it.

writin4fun15: Yes, writers block does suck especially when you're a write who is suppose to post weekly! But I'm pretty much over it now so don't worry. Thanks!

White Blossom of Gondor: Okay, she's reunited now so don't…eat me or anything. Lol, thanks for the nice comments.

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: Homework ruins everything, doesn't it? Anyway, thank you for reviewing!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Nah, I won't kill Abigail anytime soon. Severely hurt maybe, but not kill. Geez, that probably doesn't bring your mob much comfort. Oh well, thanks!

Narnian Sprite: A lot of people have liked the horse. I definitely was channeling black beauty when I thought of it. I guess you'll have to define a 'cool little friendship' between her and Veryo. Still, thank you!

A nice number of comments for the last chapter, which I really do appreciate. I hope all of you readers follow their example, but if not I just hope you continue to read.

Izzy: Yes, she really hopes you continue to read despite her bad grammar, typo's, twists, evil cliffies, oc's, confusing plot changes…

MN9: Thank you Izzy, they get it.

Izzy: Just being honest.

MN9: (whacks Izzy with newspaper)

Izzy: Hey, I thought you just thanked me!

MN9: I did, and now I'm hurting you.

Izzy: (Gulp). How about you put down the comics and we talk.

MN9: (grins evilly) Or maybe I'll grab…the business section!

Izzy: Ahhhh!

Until later!

-MysticNight9


	36. Placement of Friends

(Yawn), church has made me very sleepy. There was this Chamber Orchestra here today to play with our choir. Mind you, it was nice music, but it took them TEN MINUTES to finish singing THREE WORDS.

Izzy: Well, I rather enjoyed it.

MN9: You were taking a nap against the pew.

Izzy: Like I said, enjoyed it.

MN9: (rolls her eyes)

Disclaimer: If I had a megaphone, I would shout in your ears, "I DO NOT OWN LORD OF THE RINGS!"

Chapter 35 Recap:

She knew the voice well, and she bit her lip anxiously. She turned around slowly to face the wide-eyed expression of Aragorn.

"Um…hi," she said, her gaze more concerned with the floor than him.

He said nothing, except run closer and give her a tight hug. This surprised all of them a little, but she liked it nonetheless.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, not quite sure what she was sorry for, but it seemed needed. They both stepped back.

"Me too" he smiled. Though she would never really know how grateful he was to have her alive.

Chapter 36:

Legolas admire the reunion thoughtfully. Somehow, in the past, he had overlooked the close friendship these two had formed.

'Maybe a bit too close,' another thought came.

True, the elf valued Abigail as a companion, but he also had a friendship to the Lady Arwen and he knew elvish love was nothing to tamper with. He decided he should maybe talk to Aragorn about this later.

"I don't understand. How did you get here?" Aragorn asked her.

"Well, miracles of miracles, I found a horse," she chuckled.

Legolas raised an eyebrow, this part he had not heard. "Where on earth did you get a horse?" he questioned.

Abigail shrugged. "I really don't know. All of a sudden he just showed up in the plains."

"Maybe it was just a lost horse from one of the Rohan cities," Aragorn suggested.

"No, he does not look like a war horse. His body was mostly built for speed."

"Can I see him?" said Legolas. He was most curious now.

"Sure, a nice lad took him down to the stables for me. Though I'm not quite sure where they are," she confessed.

"Do not worry, we do," Aragorn assured. "Perhaps we will find Gimli on the way, for he was worried about you too."

The three walked out of the room and into the cobbled streets.

"Now, I assume you came here from Edoras?" Abigail ventured.

"Good guess, that is correct," Aragorn smiled.

'Though it's not really a guess,' Abigail thought to herself.

"And where is Gandalf now?" she asked, but again she already knew the answer. She just needed to keep up appearances.

"He left to find Lord Éomer, just before we left for Helms Deep. He sensed we would need some aid," Legolas explained.

"Indeed, for I take it Théoden will not call for anyway."

"He has faith that his own men are up to the task," Aragorn said, defending the king.

Abigail snorted slightly. "Faith? Some would call in cockiness. I do not doubt the bravery of his soldiers, but like I said earlier I doubt the numbers of them. Few could make it out of this."

Abigail paused for a second, and realized what she just said. Here she was, talking about her concerns, when she should be satisfied with knowing the outcome before hand. For a moment, she had sounded like a normal person who was worried with the unknown fate of the world.

The gesture was so small, but it made her think.

'I really am becoming part of the story.'

Legolas's voice brought her back to reality.

"Here we are," he said, turning around the corner and leading them to a wooden stable.

The smell of horsehair and hay quickly came to her senses.

"Now, where is this savior of your?" Aragorn spoke up.

She did have to look hard before the black head of Veryohtar poked out of a stall door.

"There's my boy," she said, stroking his ear tenderly. "Feeling better?"

The horse shook his mane in reply.

"I think that's a yes."

"I can barely believe it. Another of the Mearas," said Legolas softly, wonder shining in his blue eyes.

Abigail faintly remembered the term.

"Mearas? Like Shadowfax?" she asked.

Legolas nodded. "I suppose the herd was in the area and they quickly come to aid those who call for them."

"But I didn't really call for him. I was simply praying for a bit of guidance," Abigail said, recalling that day.

"Yes, but these intuitive horsing have quite the knack for sensing those in need. Somehow, you formed a bond with this horse and he knew he was needed."

Abigail thought about this as she continued to stroke the sleek black neck.

"By the way, 'this horses' name is Veryohtar," she informed them.

"Bold warrior. A fitting name I can see," Aragorn agreed. "May I," he asked, gesturing towards Veryo.

"Yes, of course," she said quickly.

Aragorn entered the paddock and got a close look at Veryohtar. He spoke soothing elvish words as his hands grazed over the horses back.

Abigail smiled, but covered it with her hand. It was amazing, Aragorn's connection with horses. It was one of the things she loved about him as a young teenage girl back on earth, even before she met him in person.

"I think you are right, about him not seeing many battles, but he his still very strong. If needed, he would ride into one," Aragorn said suddenly as he came out of the stall.

"Perhaps, but I would not ask it of him. For such a magnificent horse, I would not risk it," she told him, but she was looking at Veryohtar.

"I do not know if that will be your decision when the time comes," Legolas warned her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Éowyn was helping some women husk corn when she looked up and say Legolas and Aragorn walking with a woman. She looked fairly young, not much older than herself, but it looked like she was dressed in clothes that were made for riding or even fighting.

Curiosity overcame her, because she had not seen this woman before. She left the task and followed them (though she stayed a good distance behind).

She was even more curious why this woman looked so close to Lord Aragorn. While Éowyn had hardly known the ranger for a week, she knew she had developed a strong…liking for him, if you will.

She fully caught up with them at the stables, and it sounded like they were finishing a conversation.

"I do not know if that will be your decision when the time comes," she heard Legolas say.

At this time, she decided it was silly to be hiding (they were her friends too), and came out in the open.

"My lords, what brings you to the stables this afternoon?" Éowyn asked.

Three heads turned quickly to look at her.

"I could ask the same of you, Lady Éowyn," Aragorn replied.

"Éowyn? I was wondering when I would get to meet you," Abigail said happily.

"You were?" three voices asked together.

Éowyn was another one of Abigail's favorite character from the book. As always, it was surreal to see her in real life, but exciting. She looked very similar to the depiction in the movie, with rippling blond hair, pale skin and pale eyes. But all of them looked similar to the movie actors thus far.

"Yes. I wasn't raised in a barn. I am aware who the lords and ladies of the courts are," she finally spoke up again, and she strode over towards Éowyn.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Abigail," she said, still smiling.

Éowyn lightly blushed out of embarrassment, realizing how very foolish her suspicions had been.

"Another fellowship member, pleased to meet you," she replied, curtsying with one knee.

"Oh, please, don't bow or anything. I'm not of any sort of royal blood."

"Yes, but you still deserve much respect," Éowyn said.

"As do you, shield maiden," Abigail said simply.

Éowyn grinned, quickly started to like this woman.

"I doubt shield maiden is the proper title. I have just been informed by my uncle that I am not allowed to fight tonight," the Rohan lady sighed.

"Tonight?" Aragorn asked confused.

Abigail slapped her head, realizing Aragorn had not been told anything yet.

But next she winced, also realizing she had forgotten about how she had been clubbed several times in the head by the uruks.

"What's wrong?" Aragorn asked, noticing her pain.

"Never mind it. I should have told you first thing. The army of Isengard is marching towards us. An army of 10,00 uruk-hai."

Aragorn looked shocked for a second, but then quickly regained his composure.

"I heard mutterings of an army coming when I passed by the king. But I did not know it was 10,000 strong or that they were coming tonight."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Soon after that, Legolas left to find out where in the world Gimli was hiding and Éowyn had to go and start preparing the caves for the women and children.

Aragorn started to show Abigail around the city so she would know where things were for tonight.

Currently, they were on the highest bridge that looked over the entire refuge. Abigail also noticed it showed a spectacular view of Rohan.

"At any other time I think I would have drawn a picture. To remember what it looked like, for it won't be the same after the battle," she commented pleasantly as she peered over the edge.

"Do you know how lucky you are?" asked Aragorn suddenly.

She stepped away from the wall.

"There is no such thing as luck, only series of chances," she replied coolly.

"There were many moments when you could have died out there. Many moments when we thought you were dead," he lectured, his tone remaining serious. "Why did you separate yourself from the hobbits? No one has yet been able to explain your logic."

"I thought it was for the best," she said, continuing to stare out over the sea of grass.

"You thought it was for the best to abandon them and throw yourself back into a pack of fighting uruks?" He was bewildered.

"I was not abandoning Merry and Pippin, I would never do that to them. Trust me, it was the safest thing to do. I cannot tell you why."

He had a right to be confused, even angry. But she couldn't exactly say she left them to find Gandalf on their own.

"You can't or won't tell me?" he said stepping closer.

She spun around, finding herself mere inches away from Aragorn's face.

"Both," she said quietly, her voice failing as she was once again lost in hazel eyes.

"There you are, lassie. This is the second wild goose chase you've sent me on. We've been looking all over fer ya," a growly accent said.

Abigail put another smile on her face as she said, "Gimli! It's wonderful to see you."

She went over and gave her favorite dwarf a hug (who was standing with Legolas).

"Figures you would come in time for another battle, eh?" Gimli said.

"Well, you know me. I would hate to miss out," she laughed lightly. "How about you do me the honor of escorting me the mess hall. I'm starving."

"Thatta girl. On the way I can repeat the dwarf story I told lady Éowyn on our ride over here. It all started in the first age when…"

Gimli's voice disappeared as they walked farther away from the bridge.

Abigail looked back at Aragorn briefly before continuing on her way.

Legolas had stayed behind and now stood with Aragorn.

"The sun will be setting soon. I can already sense the approaching army," Legolas said thoughtfully.

"The weather is dimming as well," said Aragorn, noticing the gathering clouds.

"You were happier for a while today, knowing Abigail was here," Legolas said, trying to sound casual.

Aragorn noticed the abruptness of the comment, but did not care much.

"We were all worried about her. Her being alive also means that the fellowship isn't as broken as we thought," he replied.

"I am sorry, that came out a bit strange. I only meant to say that you have seemed stressed lately. You may be an older man, but before recently you did not look the part," Legolas said, transforming into a concerned friend.

Aragorn nodded his head slightly. "This may sound strange, but it feels like only now I understand our purpose even if the fellowship is apart. Being around the people who are actually affected by this evil," he said, gesturing to the streets below. "I know my place and it is to protect and serve," Aragorn finished.

"Spoken like a true king," Legolas smirked.

"Nay, I still do not accept that title. I will live and die as one of them, as a soldier who follows order."

"But I would rather you not accept the fate of death, mellon nin (my friend), not tonight," Legolas disagreed automatically.

"I am only human, Legolas," he said simply as the sun finally disappeared behind the grass.

"I am only human."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail had a lovely snack with Gimli after they had left Aragorn and Legolas. She was hungry enough to eat a whole boar, but they had to ration the food appropriately. So she only had a piece of bread, cheese and a slice of dried meat, but it taste like heaven.

Thankfully, Gimli kept the conversation light, doing most of the talking himself and causing Abigail to go into a few laughing fits.

After one particular good joke, Abigail excused herself from the small table they were sharing.

"I need to go find a few weapons of my own. Understandably, the uruks stripped me of my original ones," she explained.

"Of course, of course. I believe the weaponry is only a few doors down from the armory. Just follow the crowd," instructed Gimli.

She waved a quick goodbye and she was gone,

Moments later, who else but Aragorn and Legolas entered the hall.

"Where did Abigail go?" Legolas asked after scanning the chairs for their friend.

"The lass left not too long ago to find some weapons. She probably is looking for a bit of armor too," said Gimli, scratching his long beard.

"I had almost forgotten, I have her daggers," Aragorn said, searching his belt and his pockets.

Sure enough, he pulled out two elvish long daggers.

"You can give them to her shortly. First you should eat and keep up your strength," Gimli said, patting Aragorn on the back. "Same goes for you, master elf," he smirked.

Legolas look insulted for a split second, but then he smiled and grabbed a piece of yellow cheese.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail looked up and down the walls of the rooms, hoping they would maybe have some sort of elvish weapons in stock.

However, she was slightly disappointed to see the majority was broad swords and spears. Then there were a few bent bows and even some crossbows.

She sighed, and eventually found a lighter sword and a bow that was still in pretty good shape.

She got a good grip on the sword and tried a few swings and thrusts. But on one move, pain engulfed her wrists and she dropped the sword suddenly.

"Great, another surprise injury from my captivity," she muttered, massaging the wrist.

"Lady Éowyn could probably use some help organizing the caves," Aragorn's voice said.

She looked up and saw him standing in the doorway with a slight frown on his face.

"Yes, but I still have things to do to prepare on my own, she can find some other aid," said Abigail casually, picking up the swords.

"I did not say you should do that task for a moment. I meant you should stay and help," he said gently.

Abigail studied him sharply. "What? You mean stay in the caves? Sit idly and try to sooth crying babes?" She shook her head passively. "That job is not for me, and it won't be for a long time."

"You are not in proper health. I noticed it when I first saw you today and I still see it now. You are wounded and tired from your journey, and I do not blame you," his voice stern about his opinions.

"I will never be in perfect health, Aragorn. We are traveling throughout the wilderness," she said, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "Did you not realize I am a good fighter? There are sons and grandfathers who are about to go into battle. Are you going to deny one skilled warrior even if she is a woman?"

"Abigail, this has nothing to do with the fact that you are a woman-"

"But the fact will always remain and none of you will forget it. Any male soldier would grin and bear the pain. I shall do the same," she interrupted vehemently.

"I do not wish to send anybody to the grave tonight. Especially those I care about," he argued back.

These words took her by surprise, but she quickly shrugged it off.

'We're members, friend; he would care about me. He didn't mean anything special by it,' she thought. She took a deep breath.

"There are two choices as I see it, Aragorn. You can try to ban me, but I will still get out and you know it. Then I will fight among strangers and feel like a coward. Or you can let my stand beside you like an honored friend, and we will fight together like a fellowship is supposed to do," she told him, calm and defiant at the same time.

He said nothing for a moment, but to her surprise he did not look angry. "Haldir warned me you were as stubborn as a mule," he said, relaxing.

"Ha! Like he's one to talk," she snorted.

"Well, if you are indeed persistent about fighting. You might want these."

He handed her the sharp tools.

"My daggers!" she exclaimed. "You found them, and kept them in good condition too!"

She ran a finger lightly over the blades edge.

"Though a little blunt," she commented.

"There's a smithy around here somewhere. You can have them sharpened," he informed her.

She was slightly confused. They had just been arguing, but now he was practically encouraging her.

"We are all be upstairs when you are finished," he said, and then he left the room.

"Thank you," she called out.

Aragorn would have been more comfortable if Abigail had stayed safely indoors, but he still trusted that she could take care of herself.

'Still, perhaps I better keep an eye on her,' he thought, as he fiddled with his chain mail.

Soon after he left, Abigail went to go find the smithy as Aragorn instructed.

The smith himself was gone, but the sharpening wedge was still there. She (sort of) remembered how to use it, and she began to smooth out the daggers.

She sang softly to herself over the sound of the grinding.

Where are we?

What the hell is going on?

The dust has only just begun to form

Crop circles in the carpet

Sinking feeling

Spin me round again and rub my eyes

This can't be happening

When busy streets a mess with people

Would stop to hold their heads heavy

Hide and seek

Trains and sewing machines

All those years

They were here first

Oily marks appear on walls

Where pleasure moments hung before the takeover

The sweeping insensitivity

Of this still life

Hide and seek

She was so concentrated on her work, she did not hear the ringing of an elvish horn entering the deep.

(A/N-The song is **Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap**)

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Ha, ha the evil cliffies will start to return much more frequently. The battle of Helms Deep will begin next chapter, which will sadly not be posted until the weekend (most likely). But I gave you guys this chapter earlier so you can't hate me too much.

Anyway, many thanks to the following reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83: I do think Aragorn and Arwen are a good match up, I have no disagreements about that. This is just my creative side wondering what could be different. I did kind of figure you were an Arwen fan, so if I get some approval from you that means something. Thanks! Oh, and I love chai tea latte's too. Lol.

writin4fun15: I have a very big basket of kudos from you now. They could last the rest of my life. Jk, thanks a lot for reviewing!

White Blossom of Gondor: Yeah, Arwen will be OC. But I'm trying really hard not to make her mean or anything like that. I agree, Éowyn is a really cool chick, but the entire book is great all characters included. Thanks!

Samantha-Girl Scout: I've always wondered what 'or else' really meant. Honestly, it be like 'or else I'll get you a cookie'. It doesn't have to be a bad thing. Agh, and why did you give Izzy a newspaper? The girl has a mean backhand (Izzy: You bet! Bwa haha!). Lol, thanks for reviewing.

KeeperMusicNight: Indeed, hello new person! Undoubtedly, if stories are a mary-sue (like mine), there will be OC's. So you are most likely going to either hate it or love it. I'm glad you've chosen the latter. I hope to hear from you again. Thanks!

Narnian Sprite: I know, aren't hugs the sweetest? Yeah, I decided I needed to start ending the Aragorn/Arwen ship because people were bugging me about it. And the only way they ever meet are through the dreams the Peter Jackson made up. Go P.J.! I'm happy to hear my version of the dreams works out okay (plot wise). Thanks!

Until next time, enjoy!

-MysticNight9


	37. You Won't Get Rid Of Me

Terribly sorry about the long wait. School sincerely stinks sometimes. For example, we had a test and two quizzes in French within three days, and I have test in my other classes too.

Izzy: Oh, suck it up you big baby.

MN9: Well I suppose you're having an easy ride in Kindergarten.

Izzy: Hey, I am not in-

MN9: Then stop acting like it.

Izzy: (pouts and continues to eat the fortune cookies that Samantha-Girl Scout gave her)

Disclaimer: Altogether now: MYSTICNIGHT9 DOES NOT OWN LORD OF THE RINGS!

Chapter 36 Recap:

She was so concentrated on her work, she did not hear the ringing of an elvish horn entering the deep.

Chapter 37:

Aragorn had just made it up that stairs and on to the stone deck when he heard a sharp call of a horn.

To his pleasure, though, it was not an orc horn.

Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, Legolas appeared at his side.

"Is it possible? Would they come?" his friends asked, amazed.

"There is only one way to find out," Aragorn replied as he ran in the direction of the front gate.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail continued to hum to herself as she finished up sharpening her daggers.

"Well, at least you're doing something proactive. I was worried you were just trying to ignore me," a chuckling voice said behind her.

She immediately stopped what she was doing and set the blades down.

She almost didn't want to confirm what she thought, but at the same time she was excited.

She tilted her head to look at the newcomer, and she smiled crookedly.

"Haldir. Y-you came," Abigail said softly.

"Please, contain your joy," he replied sarcastically.

"No, I'm sorry. It is good to see you," she got up from he small stool and gave the captain a tight hug.

"It is wonderful to see you…father," she repeated somewhat hesitantly.

But he smiled at the term. "I hope you can call me that freely. I do rather like it," he assured her.

"Why did you come? I mean, Valar knows we could use the help, but it is…unexpected one could say." She led him over to a table where they could sit.

"Mainly I was just given the order by the lord and lady. But more importantly, it's a small attempt to rekindle the old alliances. You know, between elves and men," he explained simply.

"I understand that. It's just…you're not suppose to be here," she whispered, as if she was afraid to be overheard, despite the fact they were the only one's in the room.

He looked confused for a second, but the nodded his head.

"Oh I see. You're talking about your story or whatever you want to call it," he scratched his chin in thought. "You said it was expected for things to change with you being here. You can't control the outcomes all the time, or the means it takes to get there."

"Well that's all fine and dandy, but the truth is…I don't know exactly what is going to happen. I know it's bad, but it's been so long…" she trailed off.

Her mind was pacing back and forth from what she knew from the book and what she knew from the movie.

All this time she assumed because the book was the accurate version it would reflect what happened in Middle Earth now.

'He could be right,' she thought. 'Maybe because of my knowledge of the different story I did change the fate and somehow allow him to be here. But that would make it seem like I forced the elves to come to Helms Deep, which is not what I want," she shook her head. 'He's supposed to be safe at Lorien. They all are. I don't want to be responsible for the hundreds of death elves.'

Haldir noticed the puzzled and concerned look on her face as she was thinking. An idea suddenly occurred to him.

"Abigail is…is the thing you're worried about…does it have to do with me?" he asked slowly.

"I-I think so…it's just, ARGH!" she cried in frustration, racking her brain. "The one time it would be helpful to know something, and my mind is at a blank!"

"I don't want you to tell me anything specific, or even anything vague. It's not worth it," Haldir instructed.

She nodded dumbly.

"But you need not always compare lives. Rather accept the life you are living. Focus on the present, my dear. Even seers and prophets cannot rely on the past and the future."

He reached out his hand and lifted up her chin.

"I'm glad I am here to help you. I do not regret the choice, and you shouldn't regret it for me."

"Damn you elves and your perfect logic," she said lightly, still a bit sad.

"Where would you be without it?" he mocked in good humor.

She wondered when he had become so optimistic. Usually she was the happy one, but she supposed this war had changed her a lot already.

'I can't give up. Maybe I can still do something,' she thought to herself hopefully.

The pair stood up in unison.

"Perhaps we should look for at least sort of armor for you. Not the best idea to fight orcs in only your velvet," he commented, eyeing her attire.

"Yeah…I haven't really cleaned up since my last run-in with the uruks," she fiddled nervously.

"Your WHAT?" asked Haldir, quite louder now.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

As expected, they weren't able to find any chain mail that fit Abigail's size and stature. In the end, they settled on some thin metal armbands and a thick leather vest. It could help provide a little protection.

She changed clothes as well. She was now wearing a long, dark silver tunic similar to the Lorien elves. But on her it looked more like a short dress that stopped around the knees. Then she wore dark green leggings, boots and her brown belt, which was finally fitted with her trusty daggers. She decided not to carry around the sword after receiving her daggers, but she kept the bow and a sack of arrows on her back.

It was late at night, and the ominous rain clouds had covered most of the stars. It also appeared to be a new moon, making it even darker out.

"What an eerily fitting atmosphere," Abigail told Haldir when they made it outside.

He nodded in solemn agreement and then turned his gaze far to the right. In the distance they could see the Lorien soldiers lined up by the wall.

"I see Arphenon was able to organize them. Good," he said to himself.

Abigail's head perked up slightly.

"Arphenon? He's here?"

"Naturally. All able fighters of the guard or the army were ordered to come," he shrugged. "It's very heart-warming in a sense to see all those who still honor the old ways. Finwé and Authion are here too," he added at the end.

"Oh…Authion," she said softly, looking in the opposite directions of the soldiers.

"Hmm, I can assume neither of you really talked after that night did you?"

"No, we did not talk," she said calmly, grinding her teeth a little while thinking of the awkward memory.

Suddenly, a swift breeze rolled through the refuge, followed by cold silence.

"They are close," Haldir spoke quickly.

"Yes, I can feel it too," she said, taking a moment to tie back her hair into yet another braid.

"I must go stand in the front-"

"Yes, I know," she waved her hand, cutting him off. "I'll be nearby, but I'll be standing next to Legolas and Gimli."

"Very well," he nodded.

The look of sorrow and concentration returned to her face. Was this really it?

"It's always easier to give up hope then to keep it, but I encourage you to do the latter," Haldir said, choosing his words wisely. "No one is ready to imagine what could happen tonight, this includes you, but I am willing to believe that we will win and that I will be fine."

He gave her a half-smile.

"What's that charming thing you like to say? You can't get rid of me that easily?" he asked.

She mustered up a small smile of her own.

"I guess not," she replied.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail swayed back and forth nervously next to Legolas. All things consider, she had some fairly good reasons to be on the edge.

The looming dread and worry about the safety of Haldir was still residing in the pit of her stomach, the first major battle of her life was about to occur and currently she was standing next to the bridge that was suppose to EXPLODE at some point in time (despite certain memory problems, she remembered that detail quite clearly).

She continued to glance over the bridge in question which had the Lorien army, and Aragorn (which she could see easily for some odd reason), standing on top of it.

"I wonder how necessary it is for the bridge to be destroyed?" she pondered.

"If you're so worried, Abigail lass, why don't you just go there?" Gimli's voice gently broke through her thoughts.

"Huh?" she said lamely.

"Staring at him every five seconds isn't going to bring him over. It is fine if you move," Legolas nodded.

"Oh, you mean Haldir," she said, blushing slightly. At first she was worried they had caught her staring at Aragorn or something.

In the darkness, they had not seen her flushed face, and they continued.

"It is fitting for… for father and daughter to fight side by side, no?" Legolas encouraged her.

"Yes, but-I don't need to-are you sure you don't mind?" she stammered.

"No offense taken if that's what you're worried about," said Gimli. "Now go before I prod you with my axe," he said lightly.

She smiled, liking the idea of staying close to Haldir.

"Thank you, I'll see you at the finish line," she said, moving away.

"What finish line?" Legolas asked Gimli, confused by the phrase.

"I'm sure it's something good," Gimli shrugged. "Now how about you and I, sir elf, have a little wager?"

Legolas gave him a pointed look, but was grinning at the inside. Dwarves were really not so bad once you got to know them.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"You have no objections with Abigail fighting?" Haldir asked Aragorn out of simple curiosity.

"I was cautious, since she only arrived today, but I know she is capable of fighting. I do not have the authority do stop her," Aragorn explained.

"Yes, but she had the utmost respect for you. Usually she trusts your decisions," the elf informed.

"Has she said this to you herself?" Aragorn asked, not being able to stop his own curiosity.

Haldir nodded.

Aragorn thought about this for a second.

"I'm glad she trusts me," he said quietly.

Haldir smirked from the corner of his mouth.

Indeed, the way Abigail praised Aragorn at their last visit, he had his suspicions of some hidden emotions or motives. But only now did he begin to wonder if it was mutual.

He turned his head, and was surprised to see Abigail coming towards them.

"Change of plans," was all she said before squeezing her self next to Haldir. The elf soldier next to her looked puzzled, but said nothing.

"Abigail," Haldir said, half warning and half questioning.

"This is where I want to be," she cut in quickly, poised like a true warrior.

There was no time for objections, because the torches from the uruk-hai army were coming forward from the hill.

She could hear the loud stomps and the deep breaths. There was even a distinct stench that suddenly filled the air.

She shivered unintentionally, then tried to convince her self it was only from the cold.

But her little conscience told her otherwise. It told her she was scared and unsure. The sight of 10,000 orc was quite overwhelming. She was momentarily frozen. She needed to try to keep an eye on Haldir, keep the bridge as safe as possible, and not get herself killed in the process.

A warm hand was placed on her shoulder for a moment.

"Stay strong," Aragorn whispered in her ear, before moving on so he could yell out instructions.

That one simple movement, and instantly she felt a bit calmer.

'How does he do that?'

Haldir, ever watchful, did notice the gesture.

'Yes there is something,' he thought. He looked down at his gleaming, adoptive daughter. 'I only pray they don't get hurt. Valar protect her.'

"The bracelet is humming," Abigail commented as she brushed her hand over the silver piece on her wrist.

"Ah yes, that's another one if its charms. To put it plainly, it will give a warning as well as try to soothe you when you are feeling overly stressed, angered or fearful. For you, this will be particularly nice because it can also help warn you when you are about to lost control with your…um, powers," he said under his breath, trying not to be overheard.

"And here I thought it was just a flashlight," she said sarcastically, remembering the other magical effect it could produce.

(A/N-Remember what the bracelet did in Lorien. With the magic words and the light?)

"Glad to know you can keep a sharp tongue in battle," Haldir retorted, also sarcastic.

More silence as the army came closer.

"Just in case Haldir, please just know that I love you, and I'll always be thankful for what you've done for me," Abigail said, truly honest and serious.

Haldir felt a lump growing in his throat. He did even want to consider the possibility of separation.

"I love you too. You have been one of the best sources happiness in my life," taking on last minute to kiss her head. "But this is not goodbye," he added sternly.

She merely nodded.

The uruks screamed a battle cry and pounded their weapons thunderously on the ground.

All those with bows knocked them with an arrow and prepared to fire.

"So it begins," Abigail whispered, pulling the string back.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Important Memo: This Saturday (March 4th I believe) I will be leaving for spring break. I know it's earlier than most, but our school is just weird. Anyway, the point is I will be unable to use the internet therefore I cannot post anything for about two weeks (if I'm lucky, I'll post one more chapter on Friday). What I will do is leave one or two previews of upcoming stories that I'm going to write, and you can use this break to reflect. I'll try to write chapters over the vacation so I can post some right when I get back. Sorry about this (and about leaving you with a bit of a cliffy) but it can't be helped.**

Thanks to Reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83: If you changed your name to 'anail" that be pretty hilarious, but maybe not the smartest. Not a bad idea to hang on to your name, though, 'cause it's cool. And yes, chai tea latte's have saved my life. Thanks for reviewing!

KeeperMusicNight: I promise, actions scenes are just around the corner. I originally thought the battle would start in this chapter, but it just didn't work out that way. Yeah, it's a bit early for a kiss (but don't give up yet). Thanks!

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: I hate cliffies too, from a readers standpoint. But when you're an author…you can't live with 'em and you can't live without 'em. Many thanks!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Metal newspaper, eh? I'll have to keep that in mind. Lol, thanks for nice reviews!

writin4fun15: Well, I guess this answers your Haldir question. Good to know I'm keeping you on your toes, thank you!

Narnian Sprite: I love the friendship between Aragorn and Legolas. It's like the shining example of how men and elves should act. Thanks!

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: Um…I can't make any promises…hehe…( but thanks for reviewing!).

Nightskylover: Did I say Abigail was going to die? Well, I hate to give spoilers (this includes your question about Haldir), but she's pretty safe…for now (you never know what my evil mind might think of). Thanks!

White Blossom of Gondor: Geez, you guys have been buggin' me about this Haldir issue. You all just need to wait and see. But thank you for posting your thoughts!

Yeah, so make sure you read the memo, and be on the look out for the next chapter/the previews.

Until later!

-MysticNight9


	38. Battle For Helms Deep, Part 1

Hello my lovely duckies! I have returned from the sun, and I'm ready to write again. I know I said I'd try to write some while I was gone, but that plan pretty much failed. When you have all the shrimp you can eat, life becomes a distraction.

But this is what I learned over break: Howl's Moving Castle in an amazing movie (a little side note if you are a Miyazaki fan)! It has drama, romance, comedy and more.

Oh, and I learned the sun is still very bright at 2:00 in the afternoon.

Izzy: Ha, it was hilarious! The first day there and she's already burnt to a crisp!

MN9: As always…thanks Izzy (hint sarcasm)

Izzy: Welcome (oblivious baboon)...hey, did you just call me a baboon?

MN9: …of course not…

Okay, enough babbling. I'm sure you have been anxiously awaiting a new chapter.

Disclaimer: The sun did not fry my brains. I clearly remember that I DO NOT own Lord of the Rings!

Chapter 37 Recap:

"…this is not goodbye," he added sternly.

She merely nodded.

The uruks screamed a battle cry and pounded their weapons thunderously on the ground.

All those with bows knocked them with an arrow and prepared to fire.

"So it begins," Abigail whispered, pulling the string back.

Warning: bit more detailed violence in this story. This is when the 'T' rating is really put to use. I hope nobody gets too offended or grossed out.

Chapter 38:

The rain started to come down on cue and a signal bolt of lightning streaked across the dark sky, an appropriate starting signal.

The order was given and a volley of arrows was fired into the pit of orcs. Most of the first row fell down dead, but the next row just trampled over them. The line seemed never ending.

A streak flew by Abigail's head, and out of the corner of her eye she saw the elven soldier behind her fall to the ground, an arrow in his chest.

'I…I couldn't even try to see that coming. That was close,' she thought.

She kept firing arrows, almost mechanically. She knew if she stopped it could be her next time.

'What an odd feeling war is.'

She felt scared, for herself and for others. She worried that the story wouldn't be true, and that they would lose the battle. She felt a strange thrill and drive to keep moving and to survive. But at the same time, she didn't feel anything at all, indifferent to that fact that she was killing, because they were orcs.

Suddenly, she heard Aragorn yell out,

"Pendraith!'

'Pendraith? Ladders?' she thought.

In a slow moving chain reaction, massive metal ladders were raised into the air and plunged against the wall. The uruks began to climb.

The direction of the arrows changed directly towards the ladders, but is didn't seem to make much impact. The enemy continued to climb hastily.

Finally, the first of the uruks began to make it over the top of the wall. Bows were quickly exchanged for swords and the real fighting began.

All of a sudden, an orc was charging at her. She drew out her daggers, but before to could attack an arrow was launched in the orcs head.

She turned around and saw Haldir with a raised bow.

"Thanks, but why don't you fire at something useful instead of one that I could have killed myself!" she yelled.

"Okay, okay," he returned to firing at the mass below, "here's your chance."

More uruks were coming in their direction.

"See you later!" Abigail shouted, and began her own charge.

The first one hard his weapon held too high, and she smoothly ducked low and then stabbed upward into his gut.

Immediately the second one came swinging hard at her right. She moved out of the way and stopped the sword with her left dagger. She pressed her other dagger on the other side, locking the uruks weapon in place. He tried to twist it out, but it wouldn't budge. Next he tried to push it forward. When he did so, she moved forward with her right dagger and got a clean cut at the neck.

He fell forward as he dies causing her to stumble back. She slipped on a wet stone and fell behind a line of elven soldiers.

"Damn rain. As if it wasn't going to be hard enough to begin with," she muttered.

She brushed her wet bangs out of her face. She couldn't recognize any faces, which wasn't really a comfort. The only fights she had done before had been done alongside her friends, the fellowship. Now in her first war she was alone, but she brushed it off. It wasn't so bad, and she had already spent so much time convincing people she could take care of herself.

'Still, staying close to Haldir would be better.'

She picked herself up and tried to move back towards the front line, killing a few uruk-hai along the way.

She made it back to the front of the wall, but as expected the Lorien army was scattered and Haldir was nowhere in sight.

She thought she could hear Aragorn still giving orders, and she might have even hear Legolas and Gimli playing their silly counting game.

King Théoden for now was still an observer, for the uruks hadn't breached the second wall yet.

She was to far away to see how the Rohan army was doing. Already it seemed they had been battling for hours, but the enemy's numbers didn't dwindle.

'I can see why some think this is hopeless.'

She turned her head to see another orc coming at her, but this time it had two daggers like she did.

He pointed both of them straight at her heart, but she used her own daggers to push them out to that side.

"Didn't nobody tell you that a war is no place for a lady?" he taunted in a raspy voice.

"Luckily for me, I ain't no lady," she retorted.

She took a step back and repositioned her daggers, swinging one high to the left and the other low to the right. However, the uruk-hai mirrored the move and blocked it perfectly.

She glared, and lowered the daggers. She turned them so it looked like she was going to strike high, but an the last minute she dropped down, spun, and carved a deep cut across both his knees.

The uruk fell to the ground, but she had left her right side open with the maneuver and he took the opportunity to put a long gash in her arm.

She winced and grabbed her arm in pain, but she refused to let go of her weapon.

She raised her left arm to strike, but another elf stabbed him in the back first.

"Oh, sorry. Was that yours?" he asked lightly.

Only one person would try to joke in the middle of a battle.

"Arphenon, hello!"

"Good to see you, Abigail. Though the location is questionable."

She rolled her eyes. "No kidding. Listen we'll talk later. For now, have you seen Haldir?"

"I think I saw him move towards the keep, but who can be sure?' he shrugged.

"Duck!" Abigail yelled, as an orc snuck up behind him. Arphenon did as he was told, and Abigail promptly stabbed the orc in the forehead.

She took a quick glance over the stones, and noticed the uruks were forming a odd lineup near the middle of the wall.

"Oh no," she gasped quietly. "Arphenon, can you convince the soldiers to get off the bridge?"

"What?" he asked, puzzled.

"Just trust me on this one. Discreetly try to evacuate the wall!"

"Abigail, people are fighting, they have jobs, and they can't just walk to a different section-"

"Please try, they'll listen to you. This is important!" she begged.

He still looked doubtful, but nodded anyway. He ran off, and started talking to the elvish soldiers, and it looked like some were agreeing.

'I can't let all those people die. It's a risk interfering, but I have to do something.'

She sheathed her daggers, and searched frantically for a bow that wasn't broken (for she had stupidly just cast her own away earlier).

When she finally found one, she made her way over to the edge of the wall, above where the uruks were.

She saw sparks at the end of the line. They were trying to light the torch, but where having some trouble in the rain she assumed.

She still had some arrows in her quiver, and she shot a couple into the crowd, but the flame was surrounded by a lot of bodies, and she couldn't break through.

Suddenly, there was a small burst of light. The flame had finally lit. Sure enough, the runner was coming down the path with the torch.

She quickly knocked her arrow, but the injury on her arm was starting to get to her. Her hand was shaking and it three her aim off.

'Dammit, this is not good.'

She yelled out the other thing that she thought would help her.

"ARAGORN!"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Aragorn had just pushed over one of the ladders, when her thought he heard someone cry out his name.

He looked over to see Abigail frantically trying to shoot something. From here, he could only tell it was something with fire.

He didn't understand what was going one, but from the panic in Abigail's voice he knew it wasn't good.

"Archers! Togo hon dad!" (bring him down)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

She saw more arrows fired in her direction, but they were hardly hitting the target. This orc refused to die.

Then, to her surprise, she saw Aragorn running over towards her.

'No! I can't let you be hurt,' she told herself sternly. 'One small dose of power can't attract to much attention.'

She focused her mind on Aragorn's legs, and watched as he was suddenly forced to stop in his tracks.

He looked utterly confused and just continued to stare at her.

The orc jumped into the small opening that was below where Abigail was standing.

She closed her eyes, trying to prepare herself for what was going to happen next.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Aragorn was running towards her, knowing something was definitely wrong and she needed help.

But when he was nearing the bridge, his legs stopped working. He could feel them, but it was as if they were rooted into the ground.

He struggled, never taking his sight off Abigail.

Suddenly, the torch disappeared within in the wall.

He locked eyes with Abigail, and he could see an unavoidable fear in her eyes, just before she closed.

All he saw next was dust, smoke, rock, and bodies flying threw the air…and one of them was Abigail's.

He knew his legs could move now, but at the moment he didn't have the energy.

"No…she can't be," he whispered.

Finding his strength again, he ran towards the wreckage, instantly killing any uruk-hai who got in his way.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I know y'all are going to hate me. Another cliffy, and this chapter is also shorter, when I just got back after being gone for two weeks.

Then again, it's 1:30 in the morning, so there's a strong chance I'll be able to post another chapter in the evening, so be on the lookout.

Thanks to Reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83, writin4fun15, Narnian Sprite, KeeperMusicNight, Samantha-Girl Scout, KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: Guess what? You guys all get the same message. I don't really know what the message is, because there's nothing bad about what you're pleading for. But it's something like 'I can't really reveal anything about Haldir so don't worry so much!' I'm also very tired right now (I said it was 1:30 in the morning) so I don't fell like writing long reply's. But you all get huge kudos reviewing and many thanks because you are such lovely readers.

OoOoPeople below this line were the ones that DIDN'T mention Haldir.OoOo

Nightskylover: I don't think there's anything wrong with your name, so I don't know what brought that decision, but good luck! Sorry about evil cliffies, they're hard to avoid. Thanks!

Moon-Freak00: Hello newby reviewer, glad you joined us! Good use of capitals, it really get the point across! Jk, and now worries this story is definetly not over. Thank you!

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: Yeah, but not that I am an author I must admit it can be fun sometimes to make readers suffer cliffies like I have. Thanks!

Sorry if the chapter's not quite up to par. I pretty satisfied with it, so I thought I would just go ahead and post it, but I might edit it a little later.

Anyway, look for a possible new chapter later tonight.

Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	39. Battle For Helms Deep, Part 2

Hmm, I'm not really in the mood for a clever intro. I'm just gonna start this bad boy.

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Lord of the Rings. Get over it.

Chapter 38 Recap:

He locked eyes with Abigail, and he could see an unavoidable fear in her eyes, just before she closed them.

All he saw next was dust, smoke, rock, and bodies flying threw the air…and one of them was Abigail's.

He knew his legs could move now, but at the moment he didn't have the energy.

"No…she can't be," he whispered.

Finding his strength again, he ran towards the wreckage, instantly killing any uruk-hai who got in his way.

Chapter 39:

Abigail was literally being blown away to put it simply. She was thrown into the air with such force that the wind power was constricting her body movements. It was hard to breathe or see with all the dust in the air. Of course, on top of that, she wasn't even on solid ground yet.

Amazingly enough, she was still fairly conscious.

'Focus, Abby. You're a telekinetic, you've levitated yourself before!' she scolded.

Trying to ignore the strange position she was in, she willed and imagined her own body slowing down. Sure enough, it looked like she was now falling at a half-normal speed.

She hoped the debris provided enough cover; she didn't want someone noticing a girl disobeying the law of gravity.

As she was nearing the ground, though, a rock hit her in the head and she lost focus. She started falling fast and a couple seconds later she landed hard on the muddy earth.

"Ow..." she moaned.

She opened her eyes halfway and saw a rather large boulder coming straight out her.

"Shit!" she yelled and quickly rolled in the other direction. She boulder landed with a satisfying 'thud' right next to her.

Small and medium sized rocks continued to rain down for a few seconds. She was able to push some of them away with her power, but in the areas where she was still hit she felt some nasty bruises growing.

Her whole body was in pain, but she knew the orcs would be coming soon. Through clenched teeth she was able to bring her body to her knees, though the simple action made her short of breath.

There was a sound of rushing water behind her. She turned her head to see what was left of the reservoir sweeping past her.

She turned forward, and she could see that about 20 yards in front of her was the massive gap in the wall, and the uruk-hai army standing in front of it, pausing a moment until the water passed.

Then, with a frightful war cry, they charged forward into the refuge.

Abigail stood up on shaky legs and moved to draw her daggers, only to find an empty space on her waist. Her belt was gone.

'This can't be happening," she groaned. She barely had the strength to fight, but she thought she could have at least kept her own weapons.

She searched for a new tool, and all that was nearby was one of the brute looking orc swords.

Being her only choice, she picked it up and prepared a fighting stance.

She wasn't alone. Scattered around were other survivors well enough to fight, and then there were other soldiers who had already climbed down. But that still didn't make it an equal fight.

Soon, one uruk came to her. She did her best to attack, but she had some trouble with the orc sword. The rectangle frame of the sword was a bit different for her, and the sharply curved tip of the sword was odd.

She was mostly using defensive blocks instead of offensive attacks.

With each blow, her arms grew weaker and the slashes where coming closer to her body. Finally, he made a wrong move and she cut his arm off and then she was able to slice his neck.

She leaned against a mountainside, exhausted. Two more orc moved in.

The one closest to her swung and she blocked it, but her grip was so loose that the sword was knocked out of her hands.

Now she was weaponless and cornered.

Both of her foes smirked darkly, and the other orc mocked her by pushing her hard into the wall instead of simply killing her.

Somewhere, she heard a bone crack and she cried out in pain.

Neither of the orcs raised their weapons yet. They were planning on toying with her she could tell.

She was angry at herself for becoming so vulnerable, but more than that she was getting scared. No, she was terrified for it seemed she was going to die very shortly.

She was waiting for some great revelation or idea make itself clear, but she only continued to feel fear because she definitely did not want to die.

The bracelet began to hum furiously and felt hot around her wrist, trying to warn her she was growing out of control.

Her mind and body didn't make sense any more and the power surge grew.

She continued to feel more fear for her life, when suddenly she felt eerily calm.

She was faintly aware of more uruks coming towards her, but none had been able to touch her.

"Just try and kill me" she dared.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Aragorn was still running towards the ruined causeway, when Legolas appeared by his side.

"What was that?" the elf demanded.

"Saruman's foul invention," Aragorn said bluntly.

Legolas could hear the strange edge in his voice.

"What else is wrong?" he demanded again.

Aragorn swallowed. "Abigail was on the wall when it was destroyed."

Legolas's eyes widened. "Do you think…" he started to say something.

Aragorn shook his head, not really knowing what to expect.

They reached the end of the path and jumped into the battle below.

Not a second later they were both attacked.

With all the years of training, though, it didn't take either long to kill their enemy.

Legolas and Aragorn scanned the area as they moved, but with all the bodies around it was hard to identify anyone in particular.

They didn't wait too long, when they heard a shrill cry of pain, and the voice sounded like a woman's'.

They glanced at each other nervously and tried to find the source of the cry.

Legolas noticed a clustered group of uruk-hai by one of the surrounding mountain's side.

'Strange, why wouldn't they move into the keep?' he asked himself.

"Aragorn," Legolas pointed the situation out.

The ranger looked, and for a moment he thought he saw a woman in the center.

"Hurry!" he instructed, as he sprinted over.

Legolas strung his bow, and killed four uruks before reaching the area.

Some of the uruks turned to see what was going on, and they were soon greeted by Aragorn's sword.

A few more were killed, and the rest ran away.

When the two finally paused, they were shocked to see it was indeed Abigail, but something wasn't right.

"Abigail?" Legolas asked cautiously.

The girl looked up, but her eyes were vacant, and her grin was…malicious. She looked ready to attack_ them_.

"Abigail, are you alright? It's only us," Aragorn said with concern and confusion.

Her strange grin turned into a sad frown, and her eyes cleared into her normal blue.

"Aragorn?" she asked slowly, and suddenly fell forward.

The man caught her and held her steadily.

"Ugh…I have a horrible headache," she complained softly.

"Only Elbereth knows how you survived that fall. You were right in the middle of it," Aragorn said, not taking her eyes of her.

"Yeah…I guess," she sighed.

"Abigail, I believe you are done for the night," commented Legolas.

Aragorn nodded in agreement. "Théoden still needs me to direct the first battalion. Legolas, can you take her inside?"

"Of course."

Aragorn almost seemed hesitant in letting her go.

"I'll make sure she's safe," his friend assured.

The man stayed silent, but released Abigail.

Legolas moved to pick her up bridal style.

"I can still walk. I don't want to be a burden," she mumbled in protest.

"Your very injured and tired. Don't even try to hide it," lectured Legolas.

She scowled, but she could feel her eyelids getting heavy.

"You there? Can you cover them back to the keep?" Aragorn shouted to a soldier.

"Yes sir!" he replied, went to Legolas's side promptly.

"_Thanks for finding me,"_ she said to Aragorn in elvish.

He smiled slightly. "_You looked for us first_."

It was sort of a cryptic reply, but she retuned a small smile of understanding. Then they left.

Aragorn lingered behind for a moment, a bit lost in thought. There were at least ten bodies of dead orc in this concentrated area. How had she been able to fight in that weak state? Why did she look so…deranged for that moment?

Before he walked away, he took a closer look at the bodies, and it made him gasp. Many of their limbs had been broken in odd directions; even one neck was completely snapped to the side. Then there few with black blood seeping from their mouths and noses, like internal damage had been done, but her couldn't see any visible cuts or wound.

'What happened?" he thought, almost horrified by the image.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Legolas and Abigail made the slow journey back towards the keep. The soldier did a good job of protecting them, though thankfully the orcs weren't pestering them too bad.

Suddenly, a Lorien elf came over to help them. Soon they realized it was Haldir.

"Oh my…what happened?" he asked, face filled with worry.

"Long story, but I'm okay. Are you alright?" she quickly changed the subject.

"Things could be worse, but that fire contraption didn't help," he said, not knowing what to call the explosion. Haldir turned to Legolas. "Do you want me to take her?"

"Thanks, but I think I should speak to the king anyway," he said.

Haldir nodded, and gave Abby's hand a small squeeze.

"Abigail, we shouldn't linger," Legolas said gently. He didn't really want to break the couple apart.

"Yes, I know. Be safe, Áda. Don't do anything stupid. Please," she smiled wryly.

"Don't worry. Take care of yourself first," Haldir said, and kissed her on the forehead as always, despite its grimy appearance.

Legolas and Haldir nodded to each other.

"Good, he seems to be alright," she said, more to herself. She sounded satisfied with the short reunion.

"He's one of the greatest warriors in Lorien. I'm sure he's well," assured Legolas.

She wanted to believe him, but after seeing Haldir again the bothersome feeling returned to the pit of her stomach. Then again, that could just be the stench.

They reached the door of the keep, and upon seeing the injured figure they were hastily let in.

"Is there somewhere I can lay her down?" Legolas asked.

"We have benches and tables in the hall, I'm afraid that's the best we have," the guard answered.

"That will do."

They walked towards the back.

"Did she run away from the caves?" he suggested, pointing out to the fact that she was a woman.

Legolas smirked. "No, she is as skilled as the Lorien fighters. She would not be left out of the battle."

"She would have been better off staying. Most of our healers are females, so they're in the caves, but we can't afford to open those doors-"

"It doesn't matter. I think I just want some sleep," Abigail interrupted, her eyes already closed.

Legolas set her down carefully on a wide bench. Her surveyed her wounds briefly. True, they were no deathly injuries, though her right arm was caked with blood.

"Is it possible we can at least get clean rags for her arm?" Legolas asked.

"I'll see," the man nodded, and left the hall.

"Legolas, I saw you come in," King Théoden appeared into the room. He looked at the body. "Lady Abigail?" he questioned.

"Yes, she was on the wall when it was destroyed. Luckily, Lord Aragorn and I found her. No severe wounds, she just became very exhausted," Legolas explained briefly.

"Well, you can't blame her. She's done more and faired better than many tonight," the king said, with a tone of bitterness. He sighed heavily. "What is it like out there, though I'm sure I will find out for myself shortly."

"Better than most imagined, considering the odds," Legolas said cautiously. Théoden snorted. "Better than imagined…strange words to use when talking about war."

Legolas didn't really know what he could tell the king. His people were suffering, and the outlook was grim. It was the sad and cold truth, though it was dangerous to say out loud.

"All I can hope for is a battle they will remember. A day so great and challenging that it will go down in history," Théoden said, his voice slow and steady. "Is this where the future of Rohan ends, or is this only the beginning?"

Abigail was aware of the conversation around her, and wished she could speak words of comfort. But she was in no position to make hopeful promises of faulty prophecies, even though in her mind it was suppose to be the truth.

Her body was begging her to rest, and she finally gave in, having faith that the morning would still bring a miracle.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I am posting this kind of late, but technically it's still Sunday so a kept to my promise of posting.

Sort of an odd ending, but I didn't really know how else to stop it. Oh well, at least it's not an evil cliffy.

This chapter was a tad shorter again, but longer than #38.

I'll admit to you now, from here on forward is when the story is a little more up in the air. There are still some ideas I need to decide on and thoughts that need to be completed, so updating will become a little more random. I'll still probably post one chapter every week, but I'm not so sure about posting two or more. I'll try my best!

Thanks to Reviewers:

Moon-Freak00: Thanks for happy thoughts! I still love short 'n' sweet reviews!

Narnian Sprite: Yeah, I know the violence really wasn't that bad. Still, you never know if there might be a 10 year old or something reading (which isn't bad), but ya just need to make sure because I don't wanna be sued! Thank you!

writin4fun15: Yah, gald you enjoyed it. I did enjoy my break, minus the sun stoke (Izzy stop laughing!). Thanks very much!

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: Yes, yes, the mysterious 'fate of Haldir'. Lol, thanks!

KeeperMusicNight: I'm glad I manage to make the battle somewhat tasteful. I know I've complained about fighting scenes before, but they can be hard to write. And I won't often do 'group reviews'. You guys just seriously all said the same thing-"Please don't kill Haldir'. Anyway, thanks!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Hmm, you were straight to the point tonight…very well, enjoy! And thanks!

I'll admit to you now, from here on forward is when the story is a little more up in the air. There are still some ideas I need to decide on and thoughts that need to be completed, so updating will become a little more random. I'll still probably post one chapter every week, but I'm not so sure about posting two or more. I'll try my best!

Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	40. Majestic End?

Gah, I have a massive headache right now. Stupid teachers are trying to cram everything in before finals (that is partially to blame for the slow update).

Izzy: How about you try a new technique. It's called _study! _Maybe then your homework would be easier.

MN9: Study? (gasp) Blasphemy, I tell you blasphemy!

Izzy: (rolls eyes)

Disclimer: Yeah…I really don't own Lord of the Rings…seriously I don't.

Chapter 39 Recap:

Abigail was aware of the conversation around her, and wished she could speak words of comfort. But she was in no position to make hopeful promises of faulty prophecies, even though in her mind it was suppose to be the truth.

Her body was begging her to rest, and she finally gave in, having faith that the morning would still bring a miracle.

Chapter 40: (oh my god…40 chapters…)

A sudden bustle of commotion awoke Abigail from her slumber.

She lazily opened her eyes and pushed herself into an upright position.

The room spun for a moment, but overall she felt pretty well.

She looked down at her right arm and saw a partially fresh bandage wrapped tightly around her wound.

'Hmm, did Legolas do that?' she wondered groggily.

She ran her hand through her hair, trying to get a grasp on what had happened.

Dried blood fell from her scalp.

'Looks like a hurt my head again. This can't be good for my brain,' she sighed. 'Maybe that's way everything is so blurred.'

She remembered the bracelet humming, trying to warn her. The power was building, and she wasn't acting like herself.

Abigail was certain she had used her power, it was probably the reason why she was still alive, she just what sure what she had did. If anybody had seen her…

"Maybe I should just tell them," she muttered under her breath. "Screw the Nazgûl. We're in the middle of a bloody war, it wouldn't be hard to find us either way."

She knew she wouldn't, though. Telling about her power would mean talking about the past and talking about the past would lead to the whole truth about her identity. That part she still wanted to keep a secret.

She stood up carefully and stretched out a little.

Her layer of leather armor did her some good. She could feel no gaping wounds on her chest or back.

Besides the one cut on her arm, it was all scratches and bruises (maybe a broken bone too). At least she wasn't dead.

She shuffled her way out of the hall to see what was going on.

As she rounded the corner, she saw a crowd of soldiers panicking and running throughout the rooms.

She recognized one and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me. Sir Gamling, right?" she asked.

He turned around and nodded kindly.

"Yes lady…Abigail?" he ventured.

She nodded as well.

'I'll correct the title later,' she thought.

"Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering what has happened?" she asked out loud.

His face grew forlorn. "The enemy has breached our last wall and we are overrun. King Théoden ordered us to pull back in hopes of reorganizing, but you can see we're still a bit scattered," he said, gesturing around the room.

"What's the plan of action?"

"I'm still awaiting those orders."

She frowned ever so slightly. "I see, thank you," she said, before he took his leave.

'Well everything bad that's suppose to happen in this battle has come true. I hope the good news still comes, for all our sake's,' she pondered, but the facts were still unsettling.

"Are you lost, miss?" a young voice asked.

She turned and saw a young Rohirrim soldier, probably still in his 20's, staring curiously out her.

"I'm right where I'm suppose to be thank you. Or do you think I'd be out here for fun," she replied rather curtly.

She knew is was odd to see a female warrior, but some people looked like it was unfathomable to even have her outside. The young boy looked rather confused. Thankfully Gimli interrupted.

"Abby! Aren't yer supposed to be lying down?"

"Good to see your beard still attached Gimli," she smiled, discreetly changing the subject.

"Well of course. I wouldn't let 'em near this beauty," he said, stroking his hair proudly. "I am serious about ye not movin' around, though. The elf gave me a short briefing about what you've been up to."

She rolled her eyes. "I slept for about an hour, Gimli. I'm all better," she said sarcastically. "Now, where are the others?"

"They're fine. Aragorn went to go speak with the King and he's most likely going to come up with some reckless strategy to try to get us out of this mess…oh, and I have no doubt Legolas followed him," he added at the end.

As if it were timed, Legolas's voice could be heard coming down the stairs.

"…there must be something that can be done!" the elf pleaded.

"No! There is so much death…what can men do against such reckless hate?" Théoden hissed as he, Legolas, Aragorn and a few other men came into the hall.

The king was in despair; that was evident in his voice. No one dared to speak, incase they chose the wrong words.

"Ride out with me," Aragorn said suddenly. The request was simple, yet it sounded so powerful.

The King paused and looked at Aragorn, eyebrows raised in slight questioning.

Aragorn took a step.

"Ride out and meet them. Show them courage when we should be most fearful," he encouraged.

"For death and glory?" Théoden scoffed silently.

Aragorn shook his head. "For Rohan. For your people."

"The sun is rising," Gimli commented quietly.

Indeed, from the thin window came a hopeful orange ray.

"Yes…yes!" Théoden said, his energy rising. "The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall rise from the deep one last time!"

"Yes!" shouted Gimli, glowing with excitement. He dashed up the winding staircase leading to the tower.

Théoden was about to leave to go gather the troops, but when he passed Aragorn he grabbed the ranger's shoulder.

"Let this be the hour when we draw swords together," the king said, looking him straight in the eye.

Aragorn bowed his head in respect and agreement, and then Théoden went out.

"This means we'll need a horse?" asked Legolas.

Abigail, who had been caught up in the moment, finally realized what was about to occur.

"Aragorn!" she shouted, and walked briskly over to the pair.

Their heads snapped up to the new voice.

"Abigail, you shouldn't be walking," Legolas lectured unenthusiastically.

"Yes, yes of course I shouldn't," she ignored him. "Let me ride with you as well, it's the last thing I can do to help-"

"You've done enough, Abigail," Aragorn cut her off. "If you are trying to prove yourself, you need not. We know you are capable, but for now just stop."

"I'm standing, aren't I? I have a horse ready for battle, I want to do more!" she argued.

"And I am saying there is no need. Besides, are you going to try to hold a sword with that arm?"

"I can use my left a-"

"Dammit, you stubborn girl! You're the one asking for my approval and I'm telling you to stay! We already thought we've lost you twice in the past day, do not tempt fate again!" Aragorn said loudly, annoyed and frustrated.

Abigail looked surprised, but then her face flushed red with embarrassment and anger. She limped to the stairs and followed them up to the tower where Gimli was.

Legolas, had again, watched the interaction silently, but was surprised as well.

Just a moment ago, Aragorn had talked so confidently with the King. But upon seeing Abigail, he had become stressed and nervous.

"Aragorn…" he tried to ask.

"Well, that made her leave," he smiled weakly.

Legolas gasped. "Th-that was all an act?" he stuttered.

"Not entirely," the man laughed sadly.

"I did not want her to go outside, Legolas. I will explain it to you, and apologize to her, later," Aragorn promised.

Legolas did not understand what Aragorn was hiding, but he understood that he had good intentions.

The elf prince nodded, and followed his friend to the stable.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Who does he think he his, ordering and yelling at me like that? He deserves a swift kick in the arse," she muttered furiously as she climbed the curved stones.

'_But…you were asking for his permission and he gave you an honest answer. And look at yourself, you listened to him anyway,"_ a little voice inside her mind said.

She stopped in the middle of the stairs.

"Why do I listen to him? Why do I bother seeking his approval? I never even asked Haldir about everything." She wondered.

"_Because you love him,"_ the voice said, sounding bored.

Abrupt, realization hit like a ton of bricks. It seemed to come out of nowhere…but…at the same time she knew she had always felt something. Naturally, though, she tried to talk herself out of it.

"No, he's leader, a king," she said quietly and she slowly walked along. "It's normal for me to hold his opinions in high esteem, right? Oh lord, I'm becoming one of those crazy characters who talks to themselves-"

"_You know it's true. Why do you always deny the truth?"_

She was good at denying the truth. That's what she had been trying to do for the past months since Lorien. Figure out herself and which was her reality. She guessed some would just call it lying.

But was _love_ possible?

She thought back. All the times she couldn't stop thinking about Aragorn, like when she was wandering Fangorn. How she could stop breathing and get lost in his hazel eyes. Why she could become awkward and excited when close to him.

Yes…it had even started in Rivendell. She had been grateful at his attempts to be open and to be helpful.

Gratefulness turned into respect, respect faded into friendship and friendship had become love.

But there was pain as well. Pain every time he touched that damn necklace.

"No" she shook her head. "Arwen was kind to me, I can't do this. Their love is eternal, it's meant to be."

She chuckled mournfully. "How cruel fate is, to let me realize this now when it lets so much be forgotten." She sighed. "I'm sorry, Authion. Now I understand how unrequited love feels."

She leaned her back against the wall, suddenly feeling heavier. A small part of her wanted to run away. She feared being around anybody would cause her to blurt her feelings out.

But there were still reasons to make her stay.

"I've changed so much. 7 years ago I wouldn't give a boy the time of day. Now, out of the blue, I decide I'm in love with a man who used to be fictional," she smirked.

Suddenly, a low groan of a horn echoed throughout the walls.

"Well, I wouldn't want to miss the climatic ending, would I," she hurried up the rest up the stairs.

She took a relaxing breath to calm herself. Put a strong face no matter how weak you feel. An effective way to avoid enemies or even friends.

She reached the small doorway and entered into the small tower. The path was only a few feet wide and the stone was raised about 20 stories off the ground.

From up here, the battlefield was endless. Black dots were dead bodies and moving black dots were the uruk-hai. You could almost see the radiating stench of blood.

"How can there be so many left? We fought all night…" she whispered.

"It's not a pretty sight, lassie, but it's not ended yet," Gimli called down from the horn.

She mustered a small smile. "Your right, master dwarf. Give us another blow, for I believe it pains their ears!"

He grinned broadly. "Gladly, my lady!"

Soon, a rumbling note was blasted across the plains.

She took some satisfaction knowing that a few orcs would flinch at the sound.

Just to her right, she heard a bursting of wood and a crowd of horses came onto the bridge. Orcs fell and weapons clashed against shields.

"The pointy end goes into the gut!" she shouted, the fresh air and light of day giving her a bit of spirit.

Gimli chuckled. "There's some much-needed advice."

Abigail rooted her gaze at the gap between two stones, resting at the top of the steep hill.

"Any minute now…oh please come, Gandalf," she prayed.

Timed ticked by slowly, when suddenly a piercing whinny was heard ahead.

A white beacon rode on top of the hill, soon followed by a herd of Eorlings.

"Yes!" Abigail punched the air. "Gimli they came! The horsemen are here!" she cried, elated.

"This better not be some spell by the old fool," he replied.

"It's not, trust me. C'mon, Gimli, welcome them properly."

The dwarf smiled, and put his lips to the horn once more producing another rich tone.

Abigail watched hopefully as the charge was led down the mountainside and into the pit of uruk-hai, who had already started to run witlessly. For a moment her despair was gone.

Only one word could describe the thunderous sound. Majestic.

"Victory! Victory!" came the shouts from below.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Aragorn and Legolas wandered around, still atop of their steeds.

The uruks had left almost as quickly as Gandalf and Éomer came.

Unfortunately for the uruk-hai, they had made the mistake of fleeing into Fangorn Forest.

"The trees were moving, they sounded angry," commented Legolas, still sounding amazed at the entire occurrence. Did they really outlast 10,000 uruk-hai?

"The forest lost many men-erm, I mean-trees to their axes. Far be it for me to stop any being that has a vengeance on my enemy," Aragorn shrugged and dismounted.

"Hmm…" was all Legolas said as he jumped out of his own saddle. He stroked the white neck of Hasufel.

"Aragorn, will you now tell me why you felt the need to get angry at Abigail?" Legolas decided to ask.

Aragorn sighed. How could he summarize what he had seen? How could he sum up the shock and confusion?

"I just didn't know how to approach her," he confessed slowly. His face look slightly pained.

Legolas wondered if he really wanted to hear this.

"He died…Haldir died…right in front of my eyes-and in my arms" Aragorn hung his head.

A small gasp caught both their attention.

Abigail stood there, with a hurt expression of shock and sadness. Her eyes were wide but her lips were closed tight in horror.

Aragorn palled. He open and closed his mouth wanting to say something, anything.

"No…wait…A-abby," he tried to form a sentence.

Legolas took a step toward the poor girl, his arm outstretched in a peaceful gesture.

But she only shook her head and caused her auburn hair to cover her dark eyes. She took a few small steps backwards before turning around and sprinting back to the keep, going back to the dead.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I'm so dreading reviews, because I know you are all going to yell at me. I know it's not what you guys wanted, but it had to be done for the sake of the story. Haldir's death is a fact I had been planning on from the beginning. I really am sorry! Je suis désolé! Gomen!

Thanks To Reviewers:

ArwenEvenstar83: Yeah, no one ever listens to the bracelets. I kind of cringed when imagining the orcs too, but I'm trying to make people understand how dangerous and powerful Abby could be (you'll understand why later). Oh, and no one knows about her powers (save for Haldir and Galadriel), because of the whole Nazgul situation, but that could change (hint, hint). Thanks for the great review!

Nightskylover: So, hopefully you got my email on the editing thing. It's not a bad idea; I just hope it doesn't make things to complicated or long if we did that. Like I said, just let me know if I'm improving otherwise we can try to work something out. Thanks!

writin4fun15: Well, it's not like you can't ask what is going to happen, I don't really mind, it's just that most of the time I won't tell you anything. Lol, thank you!

KeeperMusicNight: Yup, Abigail lived on though Haldir's time has ended (sorry I ruined you plans, there). Again, it's good to hear my actions scenes are fine and I'm glad you are enjoying the story. Thanks!

Jupuffskin: Welcome new reviewer! I'm very pleased to hear you like the story, and I'm sorry to disappoint you about Haldir but it had to be done (reasons why will be explained later). Thank you!

Samantha-Girl Scout: I'm scared to know what else is on your list…Anyway, you can finally see the makings of a romance (at least from Abby's POV) and more clues will be coming. Thanks!

Narnian Sprite: Yeah, guess I'm a bad judge at what is a cliffy and not (since I know the story). My train of thought is slowly getting back on track, so hopefully I can keep expectations up. On the bright side, everyone can stop worrying about Haldir, because his fate was finally decided.

Readers: You call that a bright side!

MN9: (gulp) umm, thanks for reviewing!

To sum up this conclusion, I hope you can just trust me on my reasons for killing Haldir, I hope you don't hate me too much for it, and I hope you continue to read and review.

Izzy: Yah, perfect time to send hate mail!

MN9: As always, Izzy, you're not helping! (runs away to 'safe place')

Izzy: (whispering) She's in the broom closet.

MN9: Izzy!

Izzy: I didn't say anything!

MN9: Grr! (finds new hiding spot and shoves Izzy in closet)

Slight chance of me posting on Sunday; so be on the look out. If any of you are deeply saddened, please understand I try to have the best intentions.

Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	41. One Loss and Win for the Pain of Many

**Memo Thing:** Hello readers! Sorry for the long wait. I have finals for a few days starting tomorrow, so I was studying and working all week. I'm very stressed right now and I'm sorry if the chapter is kind of scrambled. The good news is I'll start my new quarter and it will have easier classes and less homework. If all goes well, updates will be better. Thanks and continue!

Reminder-

"blah" means talking.

'blah' mean thinking.

OoOoOo mean change of view.

_Blah _will mean elvish or dream or something like that. You'll tell from the context.

Disclaimer: Me no owny Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 40 Recap:

Abigail stood there, with a hurt expression of shock and sadness. Her eyes were wide but her lips were closed tight in horror.

Aragorn palled. He open and closed his mouth wanting to say something, anything.

"No…wait…A-abby," he tried to form a sentence.

Legolas took a step toward the poor girl, his arm outstretched in a peaceful gesture.

But she only shook her head and caused her auburn hair to cover her dark eyes. She took a few small steps backwards before turning around and sprinting back to the keep, going back to the dead.

Chapter 41:

**A Few Moments Earlier**

Abigail ran out of the tower, not even waiting for Gimli. The cries of victory were still ringing in her ears. She was proud of the people and proud of herself for overcoming such grave odds. Predicting the future according to the story had given her some relief, and now that it had come true she was simply happy.

Then, there was still the small ache in the back of her heart, the one she hadn't been able to name before. It took the harsh reality of war to help her realize she was in love.

It made her angry, sad and joyful to be in love with Aragorn, she had come to that conclusion. The anxiety of seeing him returned to her mind, but she would try her best to put a brave face and push it aside. The thought of him seeing her as more than a friend wasn't possible. If she had already denied so much about her life, how hard could it be to deny love?

(A/N- Yeah…let's see how long that'll last)

'Just focus,' she told herself. 'Just be grateful that everyone's safe and move forward.'

She still had some adrenaline flowing through her veins. She wanted to see her friends and be able to celebrate a well-earned triumph.

Abigail had been moving without noticing anything. She blinked and realized she had already made it outside.

She carefully kept her gaze upward. The casualties had looked and smelled bad enough from a tower, she tried to avoid dwelling on them when they were so close.

The sky had finally cleared, and only a few shadows of gray clouds remained.

She saw Aragorn and Legolas at the end of the bridge entrance.

She was about to greet them, when she heard Aragorn say something.

"He died…Haldir died…right in front of my eyes-and in my arms," the ranger said, full of remorse.

Abigail stopped.

'What…did he say…" she tried to comprehend.

The mere thought of those words, whether they were true or not, was like a punch to the stomach.

She breathed in sharply, and unwillingly caught their attention.

They turned around, and it seemed like she was the last person they wanted to see.

Legolas looked more surprised than anything, but Aragorn…he looked horrified.

Abigail felt the urge to scream, yell at them for playing a ruthless trick. But her mouth was clamped shut, for from the look in his eyes, he was not joking.

She was faintly aware of Aragorn saying something to her, but it didn't matter.

There was a sudden movement to her left, it was Legolas reaching out, but he could not help.

She shook her head so her hair would cover her eyes. For some reason, she did not want them to see her cry, though there was no way to mask the pain she felt in her entire body.

"He died….he died...he died," the words wouldn't stop repeating themselves.

She backed away, but she could still hear them. Then she turned and ran, trying to escape.

_There are children standing here,_

_Arms outstretched into the sky,_

_Tears drying on their face._

_He has been here._

_Brothers lie in shallow graves._

_Fathers lost without a trace._

_A nation blind to their disgrace,_

_Since he's been here._

Again, she found she did not know where she was going; she only had to keep moving. She could only imagine the confused faces of the people to see this blood stained girl running and weeping.

She was crying now, fat-salty tears were dripping down her face. Her hair still covering her face, praying to god no one would stop her and see.

_And I see no bravery,_

_No bravery in your eyes anymore._

_Only sadness._

The bodies were no longer disgusting. They were only ghosts taunting her, trying to convince her of the awful truth.

The words were still playing in her mind.

"He died, right in front of me…he was right there…in my arms…Haldir died…my father's dead."

'Shut up! Shut up!' she screamed inside. 'It can't be true. I saw him, he said he was fine!'

She could sense the women coming out of the caves, and the sound of sadness and shock was thick in the air.

_Houses burnt beyond repair._

_The smell of death is in the air._

_A woman weeping in despair says,_

_He has been here._

_Tracer lighting up the sky._

_It's another families' turn to die._

_A child afraid to even cry out says,_

_He has been here._

Why hadn't she remembered? How many time had she watched that goddamned movie? Why was this all real?

'I should have stayed with him. I was so selfish. I knew something was wrong, and a kept going inside, away from him,' she thought guiltily. 'I could have made a difference. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!'

_And I see no bravery,_

_No bravery in your eyes anymore._

_Only sadness._

And then, all to soon, Abigail saw it. The red cloak gleaming against the black blood. She rushed toward him. His body was face down, but she even knew what the back of his head looked like, after all the years of looking up to him.

Instinct told her to check for a pulse, but the evidence was painfully clear. She cautiously grabbed his side, and flipped the body over. She released a low, mournful wail. His pale skin was no longer beautiful, but lifeless. Silver eyes looked up to sky, as if he still hadn't given up.

_There are children standing here,_

_Arms outstretched into the sky,_

_But no one asks the question why,_

_He has been here._

_Old men kneel and accept their fate._

_Wives and daughters cut and raped._

_A generation drenched in hate._

_Yes, he has been here._

It felt wrong to be here, since it was her fault. She had never looked more useless in her entire life. She picked up Haldir's cold hand.

"You promised this wasn't the end. You said you wouldn't do anything stupid," she whispered. "That includes getting yourself killed!" she yelled suddenly.

"Abby," a voice said quietly to her back. It wasn't a question, he already understood.

Oddly enough, Abigail silently stood and went into his comforting arms without hesitation. She didn't care if he was still awkward or angry with her. All she knew was he would listen and he wouldn't judge, which was what she needed more than anything.

"Authion," she whimpered, only allowing him to see her weakness. "I can't believe…please tell me I'm wrong."

_And I see no bravery,_

_No bravery in your eyes anymore._

_Only sadness._

(A/N-Ha! I bet you though it was going to be Aragorn. The song is **No Bravery by James Blunt**. How eerily perfect are the words? I also realized I have a lot of 'a' names like Aragorn, Abigail, Authion, Arphenon…I hope you don't get too confused.)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Aragorn leaned heavily against the saddle.

"Elbereth, what have I done?"

"You did not know she was there," Legolas reasoned. "And she would have had to find out sooner or later."

"But not like this. I wanted to give her some time," he groaned.

"Time would not help the blow. Perhaps it is better for it to be over and done," Legolas mused cautiously.

Aragorn rubbed his head. He was saddened by the loss as well. Haldir was a great friend. But the elf had been a father to Abigail.

'She probably hates me.' And that thought devastated him the most right now.

"Should I follow her? Try to make amends?" he said, seeking advice.

Legolas sighed. "The sad truth is that she most likely does not wish to talk to any of us. But Abigail will return when she is ready. She always comes back."

There was silence, and the pair thoughtfully studied the scene that was a field of victory as well as a massacre.

"I suppose you have a point," the ranger said sullenly. "But…she looked so ashamed. Will I still have a chance to explain myself?"

"Patience," was all Legolas said.

Aragorn felt like a boy being scolded. He stood up straight and fixed his belt, hoping he could feel tall again.

"Come, let us find Gandalf. There is much to be discussed," the man said flatly, leading Brego away by the reigns.

The elf prince sighed again. Aragorn did not often get moody, but when he did it was a sympathetic sight. Legolas muttered a short elvish prayer for his fallen elven comrades and for the men as well. Then, he gathered his own reigns and followed Aragorn.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail continued to embrace Authion and soak his shoulder with tears for a good minute.

She finally pulled away and mumbled, "Sorry."

He smiled kindly. "It's nothing, don't worry."

Authion looked so much older, for some reason. It had hardly been a couple months. His blonde hair was darker, with more of a brown tinge. It looked like his face had added some wisdom lines, and his stature seemed taller. However, there was still a spark of mischief in his green eyes.

"I was wondering when I would get to see you again," he spoke next.

She hastily wiped her eyes. "This was not how I wanted to greet you…though I'm surprised you would want to find me," she confessed.

He looked puzzled. "Why would I now want to see you?"

"Well…because of where…how we left off in Lothlorien."

"Oh, right," he shifted his feet. "Well, you were unlike any girl I'd ever met. You were fun, courageous, nice-"

Abigail still managed to blush at a time like this.

"My outburst was because I was afraid of losing you. But then I realized, with some help from Rodwen's fist, that I was afraid of losing my friend. I didn't want to let go of the girl who had grown up with me, even if I was nine times her age."

Abigail didn't know what to say, but only waited until he made his point. He ran a dirty hand through his hair. "I do love you, Abby. You can't blame me for that," he looked up hopefully. "But it's merely the love a big brother would have for his little sister."

She couldn't stand it any longer. She stepped forward and gave him another bear hug.

"Dammit, Authion, you're making me cry again," she whispered.

He chuckled lightly. "It's not my fault you women are so emotional."

"Ahem," a small cough came from behind.

"Father, you're ruining the moment," Authion complained.

Arphenon smiled warily. "My apologies, but the three of us should talk."

"Where's Finwé?" Authion asked, stepping back and turning around.

Abigail was slightly surprise, but should have known better. Finwé was a soldier too. She looked at the old elf, awaiting his answer.

Arphenon merely shook his head, which says it all after a fight. He was 'gone' too.

"Valar guide us. What is this going to do to Rodwen and Ornë," Abigail said lowly, painfully picturing her friend and her young son.

(A/N- I don't think I actually ever named Rodwen's and Finwé's kid. Yeah…so his name in Ornë)

Arphenon shrugged, not knowing how his daughter would react. "I get to be the bearer of much bad news when we get home."

Abigail nodded slowly, and returned to her fathers side. She put a shaky hand over Haldir's eyes, and closed them.

"And to think I could have actually been happy and relieved for a moment today," she wondered out loud.

"Abby," Authion cautioned. For the sake of her sanity, it was not wise to linger around the dead.

She ignored him, and looked to Arphenon.

"Arphenon…I don't want Haldir's(gulp)body to stay here. He deserves better. A proper funeral."

"He was a friend to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel looked upon him fondly as well. It is not traditional to bring a corpse-"

Arphenon choked on the word corpse, but regained his composure.

"To bring a corpse back, but I doubt few would object," he finished.

Arphenon then walked over to her side, and he gingerly removed a pin from Haldir's cloak. It was the crest symbolizing Haldir's rank as captain. It was the traditional gold leaf, crossed with an arrow, and there were some elvish symbols engraved on the veins of the leaf.

"You were his family. He would want you to have this," he explained. He placed the pin gently in her open palm.

"Thank you," she said softly, and she hugged the shoulder of the elf who had also saved her, all those years ago.

"I'm sure you already know this, but you were one of the friend's he respected the most. He was always happy to have your company," she informed him.

Arphenon smiled. "I'm glad you think so." He walked away, pulling Authion a few steps back with him, so Abigail could have some privacy.

Though nobody directed her, she felt it was time to say goodbye.

She picked up the lifeless hand again and held it tight.

"I'm sorry, Haldir. I didn't save you, but I'll make things right. I promise."

A single tear fell on his pale lips. "Namarie, Àda."

It was her turn to kiss him on the forehead.

Authion watched the final interaction with a heavy heart, but with a bit of worry as well. Those last words had sounded like a cry for revenge. Vengeance and depression did not mix well.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

With the loss of their Captain, the Lorien elves weren't really sure what to do. Basically, the remaining warriors left at their own scattered paces. It wasn't quite the dignified thing to do, but nobody had the heart to change it. This battle had been different, in a mysterious way. Many were left feeling sad and confused.

Arphenon and Authion left through a side door, as to not draw attention to them selves. They had carefully covered Haldir's body with a brown sac. It sounded crude, but it felt more crude to have his pale corpse lying out for all to see.

Abigail had given a small goodbye of her own to the two elves, but not much was said, it wasn't needed.

She watched unmoving as they disappeared over the hills. It had been the longest morning of her life, and she was beginning to feel numb.

"That was another chance for you to leave," Gandalf said.

She wasn't even fazed with the newly white wizard appearing out of nowhere.

"There is still much to be done here," was her cold and simply reply.

"If you are ready and alert, we are putting plans into motion," he told her.

Abigail was faintly surprised at his lack of pity, but at the same time was grateful for it. Maybe he knew her better than he let on.

"To Isengard," she said, not questioning at all.

She could feel Gandalf nodding.

"I'll be up shortly," her voice still practically monotone.

Gandalf sighed and left, realizing this would indeed be a very troubling period.

She merely observed the hills for the moment longer. If you looked straight ahead, the path was still clean. It had avoided the tarnish of the battle.

Abigail had gained a 'brother', reunited with some friends, and lost a father. Some would call that exciting, she just found it painfully annoying.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Hmm, kind of a moody chapter, but it was full of death so what can you expect. I'm excited for the upcoming chapters, because we're off to Isengard, which means something interesting with Saruman.

Thanks to Reviewers (I had so many, yeah!):

White Blossom of Gondor: I do love the book, but the movie version has some aspects that are good to work with. Love will become more apparent, at least from Abby's POV. I still have some…issues to work out with Aragorn (cough, Arwen, cough). Thanks!

writin4fun15: I'm glad you 'approve' with the death, and I will try me best with the 'relationship blooming'. Thanks for yummy kudos!

ArwenEvenstar83: Yeah, this is where the angst/drama pick up a little bit. I did consider not killing him for a moment, but in the end it is good for the plot to have him dead. I'm glad you don't hate me, thought! Thank you for reviewing!

Samantha-Girl Scout: To be honest, the main reason I had Abby 'forget' he was going to die, was to make you guys sweat. I thought it made it more interesting (and it will serve a small purpose), but I guess in the end it wouldn't' have really mattered. Anway, you also realize if Izzy kills me with the weapons you keep giving her that means no more story. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. Jk, thank you!

Jupuffskin: Thanks for the approval, I'm glad you kept reviewing!

Animeotakufreak: I know, the suspense is killing you all. Lol, thanks!

KeeperMusicNight: I was sick of everyone saying "so good to see you", and the beard line just popped in my head, lol. Love and death, it's what every story needs. Hehe, thank you!

ChirikoFan: Good to hear your hooked! Thanks and enjoy!

Narnian Sprite: Yeah, I feel bad that some characters aren't really popping up a lot (including Frodo, Sam, Arwen and some Rohan characters). If I see an opportunity to stick them in I'm taking it! Anway, thanks!

rdawg16: I know Haldir hardly shows up in the books and movies, but I still love him. I know, kind of hypocritical of me. And no need to beg, I will always try to update at least once a week! Thanks!

sister kitty: Hello there, I believe you're a new reviewer! I'm gald your not angry. Haldir may be gone in character, but his spirit is still in the story, I assure you! Thanks!

NightLady-Serenity: Welcome to the review corner! Geez, it makes me happy when somebody had been reading MY story for hours. You remind me of me (Izzy: Oh please, get a room). Lol, no need to get 'weely' mad and I'll try to keep up to good work! Thank you!

KillerRubberDuckiesR-J: Ooo, brother's sound evil. As said before, after the protest I did consider saving Haldir, but I stuck with my original plot. Glad you still fell the love, thanks!

Not too many flames of hatred because of Haldir's death. These things just happen.

Izzy: (snort). Yeah, they happen because you write them that way.

MN9: (glare) My point being that I'm glad you're all still here. Though I can do without her (points accusing finger at Izzy).

Izzy: Ah c'mon, you know you love me.

MN9: Love to strangle you…

Izzy: (raises eyebrow) What?

MN9: Nothing, nothing (hums away)

Until next time!

-MysticNight9

p.s. I just want to say how proud I am of all you reviewers (I got 13 for this chapter!). One more review and I'll be at 200! So thanks to you guys (and you sole readers too), for making me happy during this stressful time of finals! Arigatou (not really sure how to spell it)!


	42. No Savior Here

YESSSSS! I am done with 3rd quarter finals! (does little dance around room!) This means no more French! Though for an essay portion I didn't finish my second paper. Thankfully, the teacher was nice and he let me have another 10 minutes, but I just scribbled some crap down. Probably not the best idea, but at the time I couldn't have care less about a military conflict of China and Russia. Well, let's begin while I'm still in a good mood.

Disclaimer: If I can understand quadratic formulas, you should be able to understand that I DON'T OWN LORD OF THE RINGS!

Chapter 41 Recap:

"To Isengard," she said, not questioning at all.

She could feel Gandalf nodding.

"I'll be up shortly," her voice still practically monotone.

Gandalf sighed and left, realizing this would indeed be a very troubling period.

She merely observed the hills for the moment longer. If you looked straight ahead, the path was still clean. It had avoided the tarnish of the battle.

Abigail had gained a 'brother', reunited with some friends, and lost a father. Some would call that exciting, she just found it painfully annoying.

Chapter 42:

Though the battle had just finished, the next move already needed to be decided. They were back in the King's hall or throne room of sorts so they could have some privacy.

'They' consisted of Théoden, Éomer, Hama, Gamling, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf and Aragorn.

Abigail had not been seen for about 2 hours, and to the dismay of the Fellowship members they knew why.

"Where is Lady Abigail? I assume she should be allowed to this meeting," Théoden said, finally noticing the missing presence.

The King looked to Aragorn for an explanation, but the man was discreetly avoiding everyone's gaze.

Legolas jumped in. "I regretfully must inform you that Abigail's guardian was killed during the battle. I, um, believe she might be preoccupied at the moment," he said.

Théoden felt sympathy for the girl, but it didn't look like he completely understood.

"Guardian? But who would her-"

"The march warden from Lorien, Captain Haldir," Aragorn's voice spoke up, but wavered a little.

"An elf?" Théoden asked, tilting his head in surprise. "It seems you left out much of the story when you told me of your little companion back in Edoras," he continued, a bit tartly.

The four members of the Fellowship turned their attention to the floor.

"Would someone be so kind as to enlighten me to who this lady Abigail is?" Éomer said sounding very puzzled.

Gimli snorted. "Looks like the lass still had some adjustments to make."

"My story is a confusing and tiresome one, Lord Éomer," a steely feminine voice cut it. "I doubt I could ever explain it fully."

'If only they knew the real truth behind those words,' Abby thought to herself. She closed the door and entered the room, but stayed in the far back still.

"Lady Abigail, I am very sorry to," Théoden began, but Abigail shook her head to interrupt him.

"Please, my liege, let us just decide what needs to be done."

The pleading in Abigail's voice made herself sick, but she was in no mood for confrontation on what had happened or where she'd been for the past hours. Her mind and spirit were exhausted from sadness, and the numbness had started to leave her body so wounds were hurting again.

Still, appearances had to be made and she was still part of the Fellowship. She got a say in the next path.

The room was silent for a moment, mostly with people wondering if they should express their sympathy.

"Very well," Théoden started again. "To start out with, the citizens cannot stay here any longer for we have poor provisions and shelter. It is in their best interests in they all return to Edoras for the time being. The thought of rebuilding can and will be dealt with later."

People nodded thoughtfully.

"They followed the Lady Éowyn to this refuge, and I believe they will follow her out of it. If you have other business, my liege, she could lead them back safely," Gamling suggested.

"We also still have soldiers and weapons who can protect them, if necessary, on the journey," Hama agreed.

"I have the utmost faith that my niece could guide them safely, but what is my bidding if I am not with her?" Théoden mused, mainly looking at Gandalf for a suggestion.

"It is my will that we to the heart of this current evil," the white wizard said. "Now would be the best time to pay Isengard a little visit."

"I agree," Abigail said quickly. "Saruman is more vulnerable after such a surprising defeat. Meeting him right now, during the short time of our strength, could be used to our advantage."

No protests were made, but Aragorn was particularly curious as to why she sounded so anxious to see Saruman.

'Perhaps she is simply looking for an excuse to leave Helm's Deep,' he thought.

"So, Éowyn will lead the people back to Edoras, while a modest group of us shall travel to Isengard. Are we agreed?" Théoden asked.

Murmurs of 'yes' came from the small crowd.

"When should we leave?" the king questioned.

"The sooner the better," Gimli suggested loudly.

"If I may, uncle, there is a trustworthy soldier under my command, Sir Giedd. I can give him proper instructions and he can work with and help Éowyn. The people won't be ready to leave until tomorrow at best, but Giedd will keep a good management," offered Éomer.

Théoden rubbed his short beard. "Yes, I remember Giedd. Well, if you have that much faith in him, nephew, we should leave two hours hence. That way we should make a fair distance before nightfall."

With their journey decided, the nine people went their separated ways to prepare as needed.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail, oddly enough, went back to the tower where the horn of Hammerhand was. She still craved solitude, and no one else would have a need to go up there.

It was so strange to think, that they had only won the battle at dawn. The morning had hardly begun, but the hours were years for her.

She was not nearly done mourning. Haldir was dead, as in never coming back. Before she had tried imagining herself going back to Lorien when the war was over. She would continue to live a simple life with her father in their 'tree house'. She would help Rodwen raise her son and ride the plains with Authion. She couldn't join the guard, but she was old enough to start her own business or even look for a husband.

Now she would only return to an empty house. Her best friend would be a grieving wife. And the one love she truly wanted she wasn't allowed to have.

'Well, who's really stopping me in that department?' she thought. 'Oh yeah, a story line, a movie plot and one of the most beautiful elf maidens in all of Middle Earth.'

As peered over the wall again, she noticed holes being dug to the western side of the keep. People were digging graves for the dead. Abigail took a little comfort, knowing Haldir would get something better than rotting under a battlefield.

"No," she scolded herself. "They _all_ deserve something better. They all deserved to live in the first place."

But that's the hard truth of war, right? People die. People you thought were invincible are killed in a second by a moronic orc.

"Perhaps this is why women don't fight," she mused. "We're too emotional. We feel the need to cry and care for every living thing. But at the same time, we have to pretend we're strong, that we're all right. Maybe I would be better of sewing a dress while looking out a window, waiting for this all to be over."

She laughed bitterly.

'God listen to me. I sound like a self-pitying know it all. I don't know everything, I just know a bit more than most. I can't save everyone but…I should have done more to save him," she thought, feeling just, if not more, as guilty as she had with Boromir.

She held her hand to her face, and watched the crystal water inside her bracelet sparkle in the morning sun. The bracelet had tried to warn her…

'_The longer you wait, the harder it will be to tell them.'_

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Are you positive she was right here?" Gandalf asked again, not taking his eyes off the scene of the bodies.

"Yes, Gandalf," Aragorn nodded. "Abigail was in the middle of the orcs and nobody else was fighting them until Legolas and I came in."

Gandalf prodded the demented corpses with his staff, his forehead wrinkled in concentration and his big grey eyes filled with worry.

_Flashback_

_Before he walked away, Aragorn took a closer look at the bodies, and it made him gasp. Many of their limbs had been broken in odd directions; even one neck was completely snapped to the side. Then there few with black blood seeping from their mouths and noses, like internal damage had been done, but he couldn't see any visible cuts or wound._

_End Flashback_

"Do you really think she was capable of this, Gandalf?" it was Aragorn's turn to ask.

The old man sighed. "I do not want to believe she is, Aragorn, but is she truly was alone…then again, people can find extraordinary strength when they are frightened."

"But the way she looked at me," the thought made even Aragorn shutter. "There was more than fear in her eyes, Gandalf."

"Yes, yes" he agreed absentmindedly. "Well, to be brief, the damage done to these bodies, even if they are orcs, is unnatural. No regular mortal or elf could do this. Something else has happened here that neither of us is able to understand. If we really want to know, we will have to ask Abigail herself," Gandalf finished.

"I do not believe that will happen anytime soon," Aragorn mumbled as the pair started to walk away.

"Hmm, I did think I sensed something wrong between you two."

"You mean the fact that she hates me because not only did I yell at her like a child but she also found out, rather harshly from me, that I was right there when her father died!" the ranger shouted.

"I doubt she hates you, my lord Aragorn," and to his surprise the wizard started to chuckle. "In fact, I think she's feeling quite the opposite."

Aragorn slowed his stride. "Wait…the opposite of hate…would that be," he whispered to himself. "Gandalf, what are you saying? What do you know?" he asked, speaking up.

Gandalf continued to show a small half-smile. "When you die, are shown the universe, and then reborn, you just learn some things. But never mind what I said," he told Aragorn and hummed away.

Aragorn just gave a defeated sigh. Why didn't this 'new' Gandalf make more sense than the 'old' one?

Still, he had felt a little hopeful about the prospect of Abigail not hating him.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail eventually climbed down out of the tower. Her two hours we almost up. She bandaged her arm again and cleaned up her hair and face a little. She also took off her elvish-style warrior clothes and changes into (of course) a brown skirt, green blouse and grey cloak.

Authion had given his set of daggers to her upon seeing she had lost her own.

'You'll get better use out of them. I don't know how much more fighting I can stand to do,' he had told her.

Now, with the right provisions and clothes, all she needed to get was her horse.

She wandered the crumbling streets, finding her way to the back of the refuge where the stables were.

Half the stalls were empty already, but towards the end of the line a familiar black head poked out.

"Hey Veryohtar," whispered Abby, rubbing his velvety muzzle. "Sorry you missed out on the action."

He shook his head in slight annoyance, but still nudged her shoulder playfully.

"Sagitta would be so pissed at me right now," she managed to laugh lightly. Seeing her faithful companion helped her lighten the mood.

"Well, I don't think I want to ride bareback to Isengard, not with these bruises," she wondered. On the wall next to her she saw a light, leather saddle.

"I know it's not really what your kind does, but will you wear it just for me?" she pleaded, taking the saddle of the hook.

Abigail went into the stall and placed it lightly on his back. Veryo titled his head a little, observing the new outfit, but made to protest. He even put a bridle on without complaining.

"I hope you had enough to drink, because I do not want you drinking entwash when we go through Fangorn today. The last thing I need is a horse that's 30 hands tall," she murmured.

(A/N-'hands' is a measurement term for horses. If I remember correctly, it's literally the length of your hands until you reach the top of the horse's back.)

She led Veryohtar out of the stall, only to see Aragorn with Brego around the corner. He obviously noticed the movement and looked up at her.

"Oh, h-hello," she said startled, half hiding behind Veryo's neck.

"Good mor-well, just morning I suppose. I don't know how good it is," he replied, equally nervous.

But it was the sadness that was also in his voice that broke Abigail's heart.

'I can't imagine what he's thinking,' she thought regretfully.

As if sensing her change of heart, Veryohtar backed up and pushed her forward so she had to fully force Aragorn.

'Thanks a lot,' she glared at her horse. Veryo simply looked bored, and started to eat some stray hay.

"Aragorn I-"

"Abigail I-"

They started to speak at the same time, but both stopped quickly.

"Abigail I'm sorry," Aragorn said hastily.

Abby smirked just a little. 'Has he always been this cute?' she mentally shook her head.

"No Aragorn. It's now easy to understand why you weren't in the best of moods. And…and nothing that happened to Haldir could be you're fault," she said bluntly, staring at the dirt.

"And you cannot take the blame either," he said without missing a beat. "I can see now that you take the guilt, but-"

"That's where you're wrong Aragorn. I can take as much guilt as I want," she cut it.

"You weren't even there, Abigail, you couldn't save him," he protested.

"Why not?" she shouted. "He saved me…why couldn't I save him?"

She cursed herself as she felt tears welling up again.

"Carrying the guilt from the dead is not burden someone like you should bear," he told her calmly. To his own surprise, he couldn't stop his hand from wiping a tear that was on her cheek. And it was to her surprise that his hand rested there on her face.

'It's so warm…his touch,' she thought. Her eyes closed and she could feel herself leaning…but then she remembered...

"Don't test me," she accidentally whispered out loud.

"What?" Aragorn dropped his hand at the shocking grievance in her voice.

She took a step back and wiped her face with her sleeve, wanting to get rid of the evidence that she had allowed herself to let that happen.

"The other day, you told me that you could never hate me. Well I can say the same. I could never hate you Aragorn," and she sounded honest.

She grabbed Veryohtar's reigns and started to leave, but she stopped suddenly besides Aragorn. Her eyes still cast down but he continued to face her.

"You don't understand…I want…no, I can't…but," she fumbled with her words. "I am sorry, Aragorn."

She quickly pulled Veryohtar out of the stable and disappeared into the crowd.

Aragorn couldn't decide if things had just gotten better or worse.

"Probably worse," he muttered, as he attached a pack to Brego's saddle.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The brigade going to Isengard finally met up, on the very hill that the Rohirrim had arrived on early that day.

Behind them was the soon to be legendary battle of Helm's Deep. In front of them lay many more trials and challenges that would come out of the towers of Isengard and Mordor.

Gandalf, towards the front of the group, gave a sideways glance to the travelers and spoke.

"The battle for Helm's Deep is over. The battle for Middle Earth is about to begin. All our hopes now lie with two little hobbits somewhere in the wilderness."

The wizard looked like he was contemplating his own words, but soon gave Shadowfax a swift kick and the horse galloped forward. The rest of the riders followed, but Abigail paused for a mere moment.

"Even the smallest creature can change the course of the future," she quoted. "But if I already know the course can I still change it?"

Plans and ideas had truly been put into motion for Abigail, but she wondered is she would be able to keep up.

Across the lands, she could see a red explosion come from the chasm of Mt. Doom.

"Something has to be done," she whispered determinedly.

She squeezed Veryo's side and galloped to catch up with the others.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

This chapter was a bit of a filler, but if I plan this out right next chapter Saruman will make his main appearance and that should be fun.

Thanks to Reviewers (I'm over 200! WaHooo!):

KeeperMusicNight: Wow, that's kind of cool if I made you cry. That's means my chapter did something right. Still, I'm also sorry. Killing Finwé will sort of make a point late one. But yeah, still sad. The relationship with Abigail and Aragorn will take an…interesting turn (bwahaha). Anyway, thanks!

writin4fun15: I doubt Webster calls muchly a word, but I don't care! Screw him! Lol, I'm glad you like it, thanks!

ArwenEvenstar83: Yeah, for the moment, the best friend seemed liked a good shoulder to cry on. Plus we won't see Authion for a while, so he needed to get a camio. Thank you!

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: If family is dying, it really is hard to avoid it being moody and angsty, but I'm glad people are approving. Thanks for reviewing!

Jupuffskin: I agree, it's sadder when Haldir dies compared to Boromir's death. I still hate killing Boromir, even now. He's a great character. I think I'll have to write a story with him living. Anyway, thanks very much!

Narnian Sprite: Ha, nice Gollum impression. Well, an author never reveals her secrets, but I will tell you that the next few chapters will be some of the best (for me anyway. I can't wait to write them). Thank you!

White Blossom of Gondor: Yah, current drama with Authion is over, but he'll be back. They always come back…jk, thanks for reviewing!

GDI: Welcome new reviewer! I'm sorry (and happy) my story kept you up until 4 in the morning. I knew some people would find to songs kind of annoying, but sometimes it's much easier to express a chapter through lyrics. I'll try not to go overboard. I'm still working on bringing Arwen in more, but she is a difficult character, especially when I am making her so different. And no worries, a Gandalf and Abigail chat is around the corner. Thank you!

While I did say school should be a bit better, I think I'm still going to post once a week. I suppose it depends, but trying to go back to twice a week is still a bit much.

Also, as KeeperMusicNight said in a review, this story is probably about two-thirds done. I hope to finish it within 20 chapters, and then (for those who are interested), I will start writing "He's Calling For You", with maybe a little "Heiress" on the side.

Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	43. The Voice of Saruman

Sorry for being a bit late in the update, it was another busy weekend.

First of all, Happy Easter to those who celebrate it, or Happy Passover, or just plain Happy April!

Also, I went to the Fall Out Boy concert the other night and it was SO DAMN COOL! Raise your hand if you love Pete Wentz!

Izzy: Oh, me, me, I do! (jumps and waves hands)

MN9: Okay, Izzy, take it easy.

Izzy: Me lovey, I do, I do, I do!

MN9: …right…let's get going

Disclaimer: Fee, fi, fo, fum, -I DON'T OWN BLOODY LORD OF THE RINGS!

Chapter 42 Recap:

"Even the smallest creature can change the course of the future," she quoted. "But if I already know the course can I still change it?"

Plans and ideas had truly been put into motion for Abigail, but she wondered is she would be able to keep up.

Across the lands, she could see a red explosion come from the chasm of Mt. Doom.

"Something has to be done," she whispered determinedly.

She squeezed Veryo's side and galloped to catch up with the others.

Chapter 43:

If they kept a steady pace and avoided any wandering orc or warg attacks, Gandalf said they should reach Isengard within 5 days time.

5 days too long for Abigail. Her mood was similar to the feelings she had when the Fellowship had started their journey, all the way back in Rivendell. She could sense the men glancing back at he now and then, wondering how or what she was doing, but none would look right at her.

There was an awkward silence hanging in the air; a looming sense of uncertainty of what could happen next.

People would whisper a comment now and then, but it seemed strangely inappropriate to strike up a normal conversation. At least, as far as Abigail was concerned, it was hard to say anything.

'What I wouldn't give for some sort of Hobbit distraction,' she mused. Merry and Pippin had never been shy in speaking their minds.

That was one reason she was so anxious to get to Isengard. True enough, since Gandalf was here it was safe to say the two Halflings had at least gone with Treebeard, but she was afraid of how they would react to her.

Pippin's and Merry's last impression of Abby was that she had gone off her rocker, screaming at them to 'run away'.

She sighed inwardly and nervously brushed a piece of hair behind her ear.

Along with the hobbits, there was one more person she would was worried about meeting…Saruman.

Hopefully, by now, the Ents had overthrown Isengard and Saruman had lost most his power, but he was not rid of his tricky ways, and she didn't know what to expect. What would he say when he saw her? Some petty insult about how indecent it was for a woman to fight and travel with men? No, he was much darker than that.

'I, most of all, should be ready for Saruman's mind games. I can't trust my own tongue around him,' she thought decidedly. 'But I want to, no, I need to speak with him.'

Gandalf's stern voice interrupted her thoughts.

"We will camp here, for the night," he said in a finalizing tone. The white wizard had, wordlessly, become the leader of the entourage.

"But Gandalf, we still have at least an hour left of daylight," Abigail argued. "Should we not travel as long as possible?"

"As eager as I am to see Saruman, Lady Abigail, you must remember that we did not sleep much last night due to the fact that orcs were attacking our walls," King Théoden said, both sarcastic and bitter.

Gandalf frowned at Théoden's harsh tone. "What he means, Abigail, is that enough of us are overcome by weariness and that we should call it a day," he rephrased, much more kindly.

"Oh, of course…forgive me," she muttered stupidly and dismounted with the rest.

The path to Isengard was easy, being mostly filled with flat plains and yellow grass. However, at night, it could make one feel rather exposed without having any rocks or tree's for shelter.

It did make Abigail a bit uncomfortable to be in such a wide-open area, but she had slept on the plains before during her short journey from Fangorn to Helms Deep. Just as she did then, she rolled out her blanket right next to Veryohtar's hooves.

The black horse nibbled on her hair, noticing she had spaced herself fairly far away from the men.

"I know, I know. I'll be more social tomorrow, I promise," she swatted gently at Veryo's nose.

The sun set must faster than she expected, and was pleased she could find many stars lighting up the clear night sky.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Did you talk to her?" Legolas pestered Aragorn while he was taking a watch.

"Keep your voice down," Aragorn hissed. "And yes, I talked to Abigail, but…well, I do not know if it helped at all."

"What do you mean? You didn't yell again, did you?"

"No!" Aragorn said loudly, and then clamped his hand over his mouth.

"Hypocrite," Legolas smirked.

The ranger glared and resumed to whisper. "I apologized, and she said she was not angry with me, at least not anymore.

The elf looked confused. "What else are you concerned about then?"

Aragorn seemed hesitant. Did he really want to go into detail about how he touched her face? How close he was with her? Abigail's exact words were _'don't tempt me'_.

Aragorn inwardly shook his head. "She's not telling us something. And she's not telling **me **something."

"There's a difference?" Legolas questioned.

Aragorn turned slightly to gaze upon the sleeping figure of the young woman.

"Yes," he said slowly. "There is a difference, which confuses me the most."

Legolas nodded thoughtfully, but continued to stare straight ahead into the darkness.

If he had been paying attention, his elvish senses might have noticed the sad, quiet sob that came from the girl in question.

(A/N – Because of writer's block and partially because I want to keep moving, I'm going to kind of skip ahead a bit.)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The next few days went as smoothly as can be expected. Abigail was uncharacteristically solemn and quiet, and whenever she spoke there was a false cheerfulness in her voice. Those her knew her well (Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn) often shot worried looks, but realized it would be unwise to draw attention to her now.

At least she was talking, even though it was quite forced sometime.

Abigail cautiously avoided being alone with any of her fellowship companions, and had instead found new company with the soldier that had come with Lord Éomer.

He was a light-hearted man in his 30's by the name of Sir Namian. His sandy blonde hair was cut a bit shorter than most, falling just above shoulders. The aspect she noticed the most, though, was that he had some trouble moving his right arm.

"Just a battle wound that acts up now and then," he told her casually.

By sticking close to Namian, she had also talked to Éomer himself now and then. Éomer was pretty serious most of the time, but he had a nice smile when he allowed himself to laugh.

It took the horse lord a while to warm up to Abigail. Perhaps the fact of a woman fighting reminded him of his sister.

OoOoOoOoOo

At any rate, early afternoon on the fourth day, the group of riders reached the broken gate, which was suppose to be the entrance to the Orthanc.

And who else should be sitting on the wall, but Merry and Pippin. Joking and drinking nonetheless.

As if they weren't surprised at all, the pair grinned wide at the approaching crew.

Merry drunkenly stood up.

"Welcome, my lords, to Isengard," he announced, waving his hand in a grand gesture while Pippin chortled to the side.

"You little rascals! A fine hunt you've led us one and here we find we feasting and…and smoking!" Gimli exclaimed.

"Hey now!" Pippin shouted happily. "I'll have you know we are sitting on a field of victory enjoying a few well-earned comforts."

"And besides," Merry said after taking another swig of ale. "Did you really think we'd let a couple of foul orcs get the better of us intelligent shire-folk?"

"Well I had faith in you lot the entire time," a shy voice came from the back of the group.

Pippin and Merry strained their necks to see who spoke.

A dark horse walked slowly to the front of the group.

"Abby!" they chorused, and jumped of their rocky seats.

She jumped of her horse quietly, kneeled, and pulled them into a tight hug.

"Hello, lads," she smiled weakly.

"C'mon Abby. We haven't seen you in weeks and this is the greeting we get?" Pippin smiled.

"Sorry, next time I'll bring fireworks," she actually smiled back.

"Gah! No fireworks, not as long as he's here," Merry pointing an accusing finger at Gandalf.

"Oh, so you did notice someone of importance was here?" Gandalf said cheekily, clearly amused.

"I hope he doesn't mean himself, the old fool," Pippin muttered to Abigail.

She merely chuckled at smacked his arm.

The men exchange yet another look, happy to see a small light return to their friend's face.

"Merry, Pippin, this is King Théoden of Rohan," Gandalf continued.

The hobbits straightened up and managed a bow.

"Pleasure to meet you sire."

"I've heard tales of the Halflings, but I have had yet to meet them in person," the king said kindly. "Perhaps later you can enlightened me to the true story of the shire-folk, for I am most eager to learn upon seeing you two."

"We'd be delighted to, your highness," Pippin replied cheerfully, rather liking this new batch of royalty.

"More introductions and stories can be shared another time. Can someone lead me to Treebeard?" Gandalf asked.

"I can," Merry offered. "He's taken over management of Isengard, so you'll find him here and there. Oh, hullo to you too, Aragorn, Legolas!"

"Yes, hello," Legolas perked up.

Aragorn nodded and said a small 'hi'.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

They found Treebeard conversing with a few Ents on the eastern side of the Orthanc, but he quickly diverted his attaching to the approaching company.

"Master Gandalf, I'm glad you've come," he said slowly. "Wood and water, stock and stone I can master. But there is a Wizard to manage here, locked in his tower."

"Well that is precisely why we've come, Shepard," Gandalf nodded. "Locked in the tower you say?"

"Yes, yes, but you'll see his pale, little friend stick is head out the window once in a while."

"Pale little-Wormtongue is alive?" Éomer asked angrily.

"Indeed nephew, I let him live. Though that could be a mistake I soon regret," Théoden said, taking a sideways glace towards Aragorn.

Aragorn, however, was staring intently at the stone tower.

"Show yourself, Saruman," he whispered.

"If he won't come out, then we'll come to him," Gimli growled.

"Actually, that's exactly we are going to do," Gandalf said, riding towards the door of the Orthanc. He thrust his staff forward and the giant doors opened with a slight 'creek'.

Hama, Gamling, Namian, Merry and Pippin were instructed to stay outside with Treebeard.

The rest approached cautiously, but soon followed Gandalf inside.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Once they were all inside, the doors shut by themselves.

'Just like a horror movie, which makes me think this meeting will not go well,' Abigail thought.

The inside of the tower was about as welcoming as the outside. Everything was made from either dark stone or black wood; the air was musty and cold.

"Come forth, Saruman!" Gandalf bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the chambers.

Sure enough, faint footsteps were approaching them from a slow-winding staircase. But they stopped just before they reached the corner.

"Why do you disturb my rest? Must I continue to be bothered day and night?" a voice said warily, but it was unnaturally calm.

The figure turned the corner, and it was a tall man clothed in a fading white robe. He had a long face with dark eyes and white hair, save for the few streaks of black that were in his beard.

He did seem like Gandalf in many ways, but then he was very different too.

He was, without a doubt, wizard Saruman.

"Be careful. Even in defeat, he is dangerous," Gandalf warned.

"At least two of you I know by name," Saruman continued, ignoring the comment. His voice was still calm and almost dreamlike. "You have fought many wars and slain many men, Théoden King, and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?"

Théoden looked like he was considering and Éomer looked outraged. Thankfully, Théoden spoke up.

"We shall have peace. We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg, are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows, we shall have peace," he finished triumphantly.

Saruman's mood suddenly seemed to turn sour and his eyes narrowed.

"Gibbets and crows? Dotard!" he shouted. "What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. The key of Orthanc. Or perhaps the Keys of Barad-dur itself along with the crowns of the seven kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"

"You were deep in the enemy's counsel, Saruman. All I want is information," Gandalf said, now the calm one. "You can still save thousands of lives. Just tell us what you know."

Saruman sneered. "Very well, _my old friend._ What I know is that Ranger will never sit on a throne," he pointed to Aragorn. "You think you have found and heir? Ha! You have only found an exiled man, crept in from the shadows. He will never be crowned king!" he spat.

Abigail half-expected Aragorn to counter, much like Théoden did, but the man only stood there, waiting.

Saruman took advantage of the silence and kept talking.

"What other company do you keep these days, hmmm? Let me have a look." The wizard took a threatening step forward. "Ah, Éomer son of Eomund. I see you've taking a liking to the Rohirrim, Gandalf. And the last of the dwarves. Such a tragedy, the fate of your kin."

Gimli tightened the grip on his axe, but did budge.

"You've also gathered a lovely elf princling. I bet your poor father is missing you so," Saruman said, sickingly sweet.

Legolas's usually kind blue eyes hardened over with a look of rage. Like the others, though, he said nothing and kept his peace.

Saruman's eyes finally lingered to the end of the line and suddenly his lips curled into a strangely happy smirk.

"And who is this? Why don't you step out into the light, my dear, and grace me with your presence?"

Aragorn took a small, yet noticeable, protective step in front of Abigail, but she still stepped forward and looked up.

Her face was slightly contorted, yet her eyes held a powerful defiance.

Saruman's smirk turned into a wide grin.

"How…interesting. Very interesting," was all he would say on the subject.

Abigail's shoulder shook a little. Aragorn couldn't tell if it was out of fear or out of anger.

"I believe that is all the time I wish to invest with you," Saruman said. "But I will tell you one more thing. Something festers in the heart of Middle-Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it. Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon. You're all going to die."

On that note, he turned to leave, but Gandalf said.

"I did not give you permission to leave."

He looked in pain, but Saruman did indeed turn back around.

"Tell me, Gandalf, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death." Saruman was begging to get a rise out of Gandalf.

"I've heard enough. Shoot him! Stick and arrow in his gob," Gimli suggested.

"No, I have a more fitting punishment," Gandalf said. "Saruman, your staff is broken."

Saruman's eyes grew wide and suddenly his staff exploded into two pieces.

"Curse and damn you all!" he screamed. "I have told you of your doom. Take away your pitiful guard, I will not be held prisoner!" And with that, he dashed back up the stairs.

Gandalf sighed. "Come. There is nothing more we will get out of him."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The second they were outside, Abigail was bombarded with questions from Merry and Pippin.

"What happened? You've been away for hours," they said.

True enough the sun was no longer high in the sky, but hiding behind the mountains.

Funny how it seemed they had only been gone five minutes. Maybe there was still some magic and mystery left in the old tower.

'_Very interesting_…he's got some nerve,' Abigail said to herself, thinking about Saruman. 'I suppose I should be grateful he didn't bring up the subject in front of everyone.'

"Abby? You alright?" Pippin asked.

She snapped back to reality. "Oh yes, I'm fine," she said quickly. She took one last longing look at the Orthanc.

'You won't get the last word,' she told it.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail acted normal through the rest of the afternoon and supper, but inside she was plotting.

Discreetly, she hid in the back as much as possible.

During the evening, right after they ate, was the time in which everyone was most relaxed and casual. It was at this time she slipped away quietly, back towards the tower.

She had considered leaving late at night, but realized a person on night watch would be much more alert than a bunch of men talking around a fire.

She had to do this alone and she couldn't risk being caught.

She probably had at least 20 minutes before someone noticed she was gone, which she hoped was enough.

'If they catch me in the middle of this, they will never let it go,' she thought nervously.

She walked carefully through the flooded path, trying not to make a sound.

Luckily, most of the ents had retired back to the forest for the night.

Abigail finally made it back to the barred doors. She used her telekinesis power and forced them opened. Then, she stepped inside the tower once more.

The moonlight cast dim shadows throughout the entrance hall where she had stood hours earlier.

"I had a feeling you would be back, my child," Saruman said coolly, sitting in the corner.

"Don't 'my child' me," Abigail said with venom. "I have questions and you have answers."

"And why do you think I have the answers," he replied. Even in the dark she knew he was smiling."

"Who else would send Crebain to fetch me from earth?" she asked in a dangerously low voice.

He stood up and was still smiling darkly. "Go on," he encouraged.

"How else could the Nazgûl know where to find a 13 year old girl in the middle of a forest?" she continued, her voice getting louder and full of hatred. "Why else would the uruk-hai know to capture me, unless they were instructed to do so by you? How else would they have known to keep me unconscious, unless you told them about my power!" Her tone was wild and her fist's were clenched tightly at her sides.

"So what exactly is your question, lady Abigail?" he said, positively gleeful at her rage.

"WHY DID YOU BRING ME TO MIDDLE EARTH?" she screamed at him.

There was a sudden burst of energy that traveled through the room. Tables and chairs fell over while some vases and windows cracked.

The wind soon died down, but Abigail still stood shaking with fury, chest heaving.

Saruman clapped his hands together joyfully.

"You finally figured out that it was me…excellent."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Bwahaha, more evil cliffies. This is another chapter I've been dying to write, so I hope I did it justice.

Thanks to Reviewers:

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe…: I'm glad you liked it. Legolas will come back more often, but I'm not so sure about Éomer. He's still a good character of all, but overall not extremely important to this story. But I'll see what happens. Thanks!

LOTR Lover 247: Yes, I'm sooo evil. Bwahahaha! Lol, thank you!

White Blossom of Gondor: Ha, Aragorn and Abby are never through the 'discomfort' zone. But, yes, romance is coming (it its own weird way). I hope you approve of this Isengard chapter. Thanks!

ArwenEvenstar83: I was always curious on why woman couldn't fight. That's just one of many possible theories. I was definitely channeling TTT for the end of that chapter. I thought it was fitting. Thanks for reviewing!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Yeah, I guess the end isn't that close when you put it like that. I'm just eager to start my other stories, but I'm going to try my best not to rush. I don't think Arwen will be very mad, but I am still playing around with her emotions. I'll keep that idea in mind, though. Thanks for rating me at #3!

Jupuffskin: Yah for short and sweet reviews! Thank you!

writin4fun15: No worries, I totally understand the whole family reunion thing. They can definitely take up you time, but it's still sweet. Abby will tell them her secrets at some point, I promise you that, but you'll just have to wait and see. Thanks for kudo's!

KeeperMusicNight: Lol, it's not like I like to make people cry, but it just means that my chapter had a good connection to the reader. Sorry, not quite time for happily ever after. Many more twists yet to come. Thanks!

Pearlmegan: Hello and welcome! I've glad to hear you are enjoying my story and I hope you review again. Thank you!

Narnian Sprite: I'll try my best with ker-shipping! Thanks for reviewing!

GDI: Yeah, I know I'm a bit late (stupid life and responsibility). And it sounds like you've been pretty busy yourself. Deepest sympathy to you, dear reader. I never thought about finding someone for Legolas, but I'll keep it in mind. I agree that everyone deserves love; I just don't want to make things to complicated. Thank you!

Next Chapter: Possibly the return of Arwen and Frodo and more with Saruman. This time I'll try to update on the weekend.

Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	44. The Purpose Revealed

It's been a boring week. Nothing to report here.

Except for I'm posting this very late, due to the fact that I ended up spending all afternoon reading a fanfic instead of writing my own. I couldn't help myself; it was so good.

So, if you're a Harry Potter fan, the story was _Harry Potter on the Phoenix's Flight_, by _The Velvet Ghost_. It's a creative plot, taking place during Harry's 6th year (and she has a sequel dealing with the 7th year). You can find a link on my favorite's if you're interested. Anyway, continue.

Disclaimer: It's simple, really. I don't own Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 43 Recap:

"So what exactly is your question, lady Abigail?" he said, positively gleeful at her rage.

"WHY DID YOU BRING ME TO MIDDLE EARTH?" she screamed at him.

There was a sudden burst of energy that traveled through the room. Tables and chairs fell over while some vases and windows cracked.

The wind soon died down, but Abigail still stood shaking with fury, chest heaving.

Saruman clapped his hands together joyfully.

"You finally figured out that it was me…excellent."

Chapter 44:

Abigail remained still, a bit dumbfounded.

"E-excellent?" she stuttered, her breath shaking. "What do you mean by excellent?"

"It amuses me that you know, to put it more simply," Saruman replied casually. "It saves me the trouble of explaining-"

"You still have a HELL of a lot of explaining to do," Abigail interrupted, her anger never faltering.

"Well, we're not going to get anywhere if you keep cutting me off," he said cheekily.

This is not the Saruman Abby had pictured at all. There was no wrath or fury or despise. What happened to those dark eyes and menacing tones? He was acting like a snotty know-it-all, which made her dislike him more.

"What happened to you?" she voiced her thoughts.

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "It's not a pleasant feeling having your magic taken away from you, especially when your profession is to be a wizard. My threats are meaningless, my power has been stripped and I've been severely demoted thanks to dear, old Gandalf." Saruman spitted out that last name.

"However," he continued, "I still have the simple pleasure of holding power over you. Why do you think I didn't reveal your secrets to your little fellowship friends? It's because I was waiting for you to come back here, begging me for the truth. As you stated earlier, you have questions and I have some answers. Now, whether I tell you anything depends on if you are a good girl or-"

She threw him against the wall with her mind, again not letting him finish his sentence.

"Think again about who has power Saruman." It was her turn to threaten.

He just laughed. "Are you going to kill me, Abigail? I thought it would be too soon for that. Then again, if you already killed your father, then I suppose I would be no problem."

"Shut up!" she yelled, pushing him harder into the wall. "You have no right."

"But don't I?" he countered. "Since it was I who brought you into this world, is it my problem?"

She released her grip and brought him back to the floor. He hit the stone and coughed a few times, trying to catch his breath. Maybe she had a tighter hold on his throat than she meant to.

"So…you are admitting it?" she asked simply.

"Yes, I brought you to Middle Earth." Saruman stood up slowly and leaned against the wall for support. "And next you will want to know why?" he said, now in a bored tone.

She was about ready to smack him into the wall again, but instead she took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves.

"It would be very kind of you to tell me why," she said with mock politeness, her teeth gritting together.

He raised an eyebrow at the sarcasm, but spoke anyway.

"Very well. In honesty, since I am in out of Lord Sauron's favor, it will not do much harm."

Abigail just sort of blinked for a few seconds, not knowing how to respond. Was it really going to be that simple? Suddenly she was going to know the truth about her purpose? She continued to eye Saruman cautiously, but waited for him to continue.

"10 years ago, more or less, when I joined forces with the dark lord Sauron, I was able to amplify my powers in a way that no one in Middle Earth could imagine."

"Hold on one moment," Abigail couldn't ignore what he just said. "You have been betraying the council for 10 years?"

He smirked. "I know. The simpletons have so much faith in those they label 'white wizards'. I fooled them all for a decade without any suspicions."

"That's because those with the honor of being called 'white' are suppose to be good!"

"It is not my fault the people are poor judges of character. I was wise and powerful; no one could deny that. But what they did not realized was that I desired more power and wisdom. I was destined for greatness, and being a simple wizard of upholding the peace and making discoveries was getting me nowhere."

Abigail's temper was flaring again, but she knew she needed to hear this. It wasn't only something she needed to know, but Gandalf should as well. So though the selfish bastard sickened her, Abby let him go on.

"As I was saying, lord Sauron gave me that power" Saruman started to pace around the circular tower, Abigail's gaze following him every step.

"But I decided to focus that power on one area, my gift of sight. The palantir, I'm sure you've heard of it, had always allowed me access to anywhere in Middle Earth. But with my new ability's, I could see whole new worlds and dimensions!" he said excitedly.

"And through that little glass ball you found me?" said Abigail.

"Don't be so vain, my dear, it was not always about you. I was simply intrigued by the name of your planet 'Earth'. I wondered if it was similar to our own, but I was gravely disappointed. I soon saw the waste and destruction your race caused for no reason. I admit, your technology was fascinating, though I could not understand it. But you mortals were useless with your knowledge. It did not seem you could do anything properly. You fought mindless battles and your society was atrocious. How women were allowed to rank so high on your planet I will never know," he shook his head.

"And what you're doing is any better? Slaughtering innocents and ruining land, and for what? Total domination? I find that pathetic," Abigail snapped back.

"We are serving a necessary purpose. The dark lord finds others incapable of ruling Middle Earth properly. This is for the best," Saruman said.

"Some of the worst things are done with the best intentions," she recited, more to herself than to him.

"Depends on whose side you are on," he smirked. "At any rate, about 8 years ago, I was scanning through the Palantir and picked up an unusual power coming from earth. Just it time to, for I was on the verge of abandoning the planet. I took a closer look, and saw a young girl, somehow blasting rocks into trees without moving a finger."

Abigail grimaced, remembering that day clearly. It was one of the first times she had used her power so excessively. That afternoon, her father hadn't come to her first school play and then he proceeded to not pick her up. She had to walk home on a cold fall day. She had needed a way to vent her anger, without causing a scene, so she went into the forest and, erm, used the trees for target practice.

"I was so pleased to have found something interesting for once," Saruman went on, taking a seat in his marble carved chair. "I began to watch you more closely and I dreamed about the true power and potential you could have. I brought up the subject of taking you to Middle Earth to lord Sauron, but he disdained the idea. He did not trust what I saw, he despised mortals and overall he thought it would make him look weak to bring in help from other worlds."

Saruman sighed, and leaned lazily on his arm. Abigail stared into space, digesting all this new information.

"But, if Sauron forbid you from doing so, why am I here?" she said, her eyes scrunched in confusion.

"You were not joking when you said you had many questions," Saruman muttered impatiently.

"Just get to the point and I'll stop," she retorted.

He rubbed his temples, but still went on.

"Fine, fine. It was still the early years of our alliance and I was foolish. Some part of me believe he would accept the idea if he could actually see you. So for the next year, I secretly plotted on how I could bring you to Middle Earth. To sum it all up, with countless days of research and my growing power, I was able to find a way to make a portal between worlds. And I thought it was fitting for my faithful Crebain to be the ones to fetch you."

The wizard paused suddenly, and his lips curved into a frown. "But something went wrong…" he trailed off, clearly upset by the mere thought of this.

He continued to look in deep concentration, until and exasperated Abigail finally said, "What?"

He wouldn't look her in the eye.

"Sauron discovered my plan…and let us say he was not very pleased. I still have the scars," he said the last part so lowly that Abigail barely heard him. "I learned my lesson, and never disobeyed the dark lord again. But I had already done the spell and made the portal. The Crebain were already on their way to get you and I did not know how to reverse it. Sauron, still not wanting to take the chance, sent his Nazgûl to kill you."

Abigail could recall the wraith's words, and not they made sense.

"_You are too much of a risk," he hissed. "My master thinks you are not ready. A power you might have, but powerful you are not. You are a nuisance who doesn't belong."_

Then Abigail remembered the rest of that day.

"Haldir and Arphenon," she smiled lightly. "That was the other problem, the elves were not supposed to be there and save me. Though that was really your fault. I mean, it is kind of you stupid to put me right next to an elvish sanctuary-"

"Silence, you idiotic girl!" Saruman yelled.

The force in his voice was actually quite terrifying, so for now Abigail listened.

"Do you think I would have dropped you in the 'golden wood' on purpose? The elves were not the mistake, Lorien was! The portal was meant to bring you straight to Isengard!" he shouted with frustration, leaning farther out of his chair.

Both were silent for a moment. Abigail remained stiff, still surprised at his sudden outrage. Saruman looked very annoyed, but it also seemed he was trying to calm down. He was the one to speak first.

"Tell me do…do you remember anything while you were in the rift of the portal?"

"Well, no" she said bluntly. "But I would not tell you if I did."

Out of her own curiosity, though, she tried to remember. She could see herself falling out of the tree in Earth, and then waking up in the woods of Lorien. The in-between trip was a blurry spot. Abby racked her brain but come up with nothing.

"Hmm, disappointing," he combed a hand through his long beard. "Anyway, something or someone interrupted my spell and either caused the portal to end early or they changed the destination."

And with that he crossed his arms and leaned back into his hard chair with a satisfied expression.

She waited for him to say something else, but Saruman just sat there.

"So, that's it?" she said, putting all the pieces together. "I'm some sort of misunderstanding?"

"I do apologize if you were expecting something grander," he replied sarcastically. "Of course, things would be different if I had been able to keep you, or if we had realized you'd been alive for the past, what is it now, 7 years? I guess it was my mistake believing that the Nazgûl cut would have killed you, but no matter. You are here now."

"You're right, it doesn't matter because I am not on 'the dark side' or whatever you want to call it here. I am doing what I can to stop Sauron, not join him. I really appreciate you telling me the truth, but nothing is different. You said so yourself that Sauron wasn't interested in me," she finished smugly.

"Do you think I would have bothered trying to capture you if he wasn't interested?" he replied quickly and just as smugly.

Abigail, who was just about to leave, froze and went over what Saruman just said.

"What do you mean?" she asked nervously.

"Think about it. The Nazgûl and I would not have given you a second thought unless the dark lord was interested. After we found out that you were still alive, I begged my lord to reconsider. If you are already here and have your power, why shouldn't you still be of use?"

Abigail looked at him wide-eyed. "S-so Sauron is after me? Why would you tell me this?"

Saruman gave a dark cackle and started to walk towards her.

"I told you, girl. I am defeated and spent. Giving you this knowledge does not affect me in any way. It only harms you and the fact that you are putting your friends in more danger. But truly, they were always in danger because your power is so unpredictable. What you did to those orcs at Helms Deep was pretty vicious."

He was mere feet away from her now.

"What orcs, what are you talking about?" she yelled, her voice cracking.

"All that power, and you still let your friends and family die," he said, ignoring her last comment

Abigail was rooted to the floor, even though Saruman was right alongside her.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered into her ear.

"Stop it!" she screamed, snapping back to reality. She scrambled away from him and ran for the exit.

He continued to laugh maniacally and she could still hear it ringing through the closed doors as she stumbled outside.

OoOoOoOoOo

Abigail ran out a bit too fast, and fell backwards into the water that covered Isengard. She never took her eyes of the Orthanc as she slowly stood up with her skirt dripping.

"I thought having the answers was going to make things easier," she muttered, shaking head. "I am so bad at this."

Faintly, she could hear people calling her name.

'A search party already?' she thought, puzzled. Then realization hit. 'Gah! The time change, I completely forgot. I could have been gone half the night without knowing it!'

She heard and saw some dim figures trudging through the water, coming her way.

"Um, hello?" she offered.

"Lady Abigail? Where in the world did you wander off to?" asked as voice she recognized as Sir Namian. "Gandalf, she's over here!" he called out next.

Even at night, Abby clearly saw Gandalf's white robes.

"By the Valar, Abigail, we've been looking for you for 30 minutes now," Gandalf lectured.

'30 minutes, eh? Then I've only been gone an hour at most. Not too bad,' she thought.

"Yea, we were really worried," said a small voice behind Gandalf. Merry and Pippin popped into view.

"Sorry boys. I, um, went for a walk to clear my head a bit, and I climbed into a tree and…accidentally fell asleep," she gulped, hoping that sounded somewhat convincing.

Gandalf seemed skeptical, but the other three took the reply and shrugged.

"Aye, you think you would of heard us yelling about," Namian chuckled slightly.

"I'm a heavy sleeper sometimes," she half-smiled.

"And did you sleep-walk into the tower?" Gandalf questioned sharply, obviously not believing her.

"Uh, I guess I wandered a bit too far," she said sheepishly, scratching her head and staring at the ground.

Gandalf sighed. "Namian, please take Merry and Pippin back to the camp and tell the others we found her."

"Yes sir," Namian nodded. "C'mon lads, I think somebody's in trouble," he said in a singsong voice. Abigail glared at him, but doubted he could tell.

"Be nice Gandalf, it's cold and she's soaked bottom down," pleaded Pippin.

"Leave us be, Peregrin Took," Gandalf ordered in a 'no-nonsense' tone.

Pippin jumped a little, and quickly left with Merry.

Gandalf turned back to Abby, and his expression softened. "I believe you and I need to have a little talk, Abigail."

He waved his arm out, gesturing for her to follow him.

She groaned inwardly, but started to walk in-step with Gandalf.

'Done with one wizard, on to the next,' she mused lamely, doing her best to wring out her wet cloak and skirt.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Kind of an odd place to end this, but the little 'chat with Saruman' went longer than expected. And I really need to post this and get to sleep.

Thanks to Reviewers:

LadyEruaphadriel-orderofthe...: Very nice to hear you enjoyed the chappie and I hope this puts you out of your misery, at least somewhat. Thanks!

ephona: Welcome to the review corner, glad to have you with us! I know, cliffies are evil, but if it gets you guys to review…lol, thanks!

writin4fun15: Yeah, I just love to keep you readers in suspense. Just hang in there! And I think my writer's block is better. Then again, if this chapter stinks then maybe it's still here. Jk, thank you!

White Blossom of Gondor: It might ruin the plot a little if Aragorn gets killed by an 'evil wizard dude' during a rescue, so I think I'll keep him away from the tower. Lol, it's too bad that drinking scene with Legolas didn't make the theatres. Oh well, that's why we have Extended Edition's! Thanks for reviewing!

ArwenEvenstar83: Well, as you can see Merry and Pippin weren't really mad or anything, but I might come back to that later. And yes, in the book the group actually goes inside the tower. Anyway, Saruman is kind of a hard character to write because in the book he's really complicated, but in the movie we don't see the evil side of him that much. I'm glad you think I did well! Thank you!

Narnian Sprite: I'll be honest, I really don't care for Grima that much as a character, and he's not really important to this particular plot, so I'm not sure if we'll see him ever. Sorry if that bothers you. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

KeeperMusicNight: As a stated above (in another review), I find Saruman to be a tricky character, so I'm glad if you like my version of him (whether it's accurate or not). As far as the time difference thing goes, it just sort of came into my head to add some mysterious atmosphere, but I'll explain it, in a way, next chapter.

Samantha-Girl Scout: Yahoo! I'm #1 (take that White Roses!). Jk, but I would be thrilled if you put me in such high rankings. I am still unsure of the exact definition of a Mary-Sue, but I know lots of people tend to not like them, so I do my best to avoid them. Either way around, though, I just like to write. Thanks!

I know I said we might see some Arwen or Frodo action this chapter, but my outline ended up being a little different, so hopefully I'll be adding them next chapter.

Also, I know this chapter was kind of wordy, but it was just one of those overdue, needed, explanation chapters.

Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	45. Beginning of the End

I'm sorry of this bad habit of being late. Last weekend was my schools spring musical (which I was in) and the week before that is when we stay at school until 10:00 rehearsing, so not much time to write then. But because of my late nights last week, as I very tired and half sick this week, and in no mood to write a good chapter. I know it's not fair to you faithful leaders that my posting is off, but I am trying. Please forgive me, and read on.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to the talented J.R.R. Tolkein and some references belong to the also talented Peter Jackson.

Chapter 44 Recap:

Gandalf turned back to Abby, and his expression softened. "I believe you and I need to have a little talk, Abigail."

He waved his arm out, gesturing for her to follow him.

She groaned inwardly, but started to walk in-step with Gandalf.

'Done with one wizard, on to the next,' she mused lamely, doing her best to wring out her wet cloak and skirt.

Chapter 45:

Abigail and Gandalf walked in silence over to a small, sheltered area by the crumbling wall. Abigail fingered her hair nervously, not knowing what lecture to expect from Gandalf.

He sat wearily on a stone, while she chose to remain standing.

"Now," he began slowly, "why don't you tell me the real reason you were by the Orthanc tonight, hmm?"

Abby shifted her footing anxiously, debating over what would be the right thing to say.

"I suppose you deserve to know," she said thoughtfully, "but I don't necessarily want you repeating this to the others. Is that possible?"

He stroked his beard, "I promise not to tell unless absolutely needed," was his reply.

She sighed. "Fine, good enough for me." She wrung her hands together. "Well, I'll just come out and say it. I-I went to Saruman."

Gandalf's back went slightly rigid and for a moment it seemed like her would yell, but somehow he refrained.

"And what could possibly motivate you to do that?" he asked curtly.

Abigail paused, studying her nails.

'How am I going to explain my actions, without revealing too much,' she wondered.

"Something just didn't sit well with me with our first conversation," she chose her words carefully. "Surely you noticed his strange greeting."

"Yes, he was a bit calm upon meeting you," Gandalf nodded. "Saruman was quick to insult the rest of the fellowship…but not you."

He looked her in the eyes. "Why was that?"

She gulped slightly. "He, he tricked me. He gave the answer that he knew would make me come back to talk to him, alone."

"Why would he need to talk to you alone?"

'Too many questions, too many questions,' Abigail thought, panicking. This exchanging of words reminded her of the banter she had just had with Saruman.

"His curiosity just got the better of him." She decided on that explanation. "He wanted to know what a woman was doing joining a fellowship that was bent on destroying a dark load. Oh, and then there was the usual petty insults thrown in here and there," she ended stupidly.

Gandalf was still not convinced, of course. "How did you answer him?'

"Vaguely," she replied simply. "You know, just some babble about women's rights, me doing my part on this earth. Heh, heh," she laughed nervously.

Gandalf shook his head, disappointed. "Is the truth so horrible, young Abigail? Do not take me for a fool, or the rest of the fellowship for that matter. You have been hiding something, a rather large secret by my account. And according to the others, this change even started all the way back in your visit to Lorien."

Abigail hung her head in shame because of the hurt in Gandalf's tone.

"What is happening to you, Abigail? Can we not help you, are we not your friends?" he pleaded, good-heartedly.

"Gandalf," she started, her voice cracking. "What…what did I do at Helms Deep?"

Gandalf knew she was talking about the disfigured orc corpses. "Do you not remember?" he asked. She shook her head. "After you fell off the wall, Legolas and Aragorn came after you."

"Yes, yes," she said impatiently. "Some uruks attacked me and I began to fight them. Then, the next time I really looked up, Aragorn was there."

"The bodies that you had been fighting had been damaged in…unnatural ways, let us leave it at that. It would have taken an inhuman force to cause their, uh, positions," he cleared his throat.

"I see," she said quietly. But to herself she thought, 'Great, I am killing creatures on a whim, now.'

"I will ask again, can you not tell us what is troubling you?"

Abigail paced slowly, back and forth, through the shallow water. She knew Gandalf just wanted to help, she really did. It was so tempting, to finally end the lies. But…what Saruman had said was true. Her power was unpredictable and sometimes uncontrollable, even by herself. Would they accept her abnormality, or would they just find her dangerous and mark her as evil.

'Was Saruman right about Haldir and Boromir. Am I just destined to hurt those I care about? Or could…could it just maybe be time for the truth?' she thought.

Oh lord, how tempting it was. She looked up and Gandalf seemed hopeful, but fear overcame her senses quickly.

'No, no one is ready for this. I can't tell them until I'm certain it's safe. I need to work this out myself first,' she decided firmly.

This time she did speak, but not the words Gandalf wanted to hear.

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing-"

"Do not lie to me more and say nothing is wrong!" he interrupted, rather harshly.

She recoiled slightly, but then found her composure. "There is nothing comforting I can say now," she said slowly, "but I promise someday I will confess the truth, with all of you. I am sorry."

" 'Promise' and 'Sorry' are small words to hide behind," Gandalf said, standing up and brushing off his robes.

Abigail, not knowing how to respond, stayed silent.

"I had hoped that by now you could have trusted those you call friends," Gandalf said sadly while he walked away. "I did think you had more faith."

"Gandalf, please, it's not that simple," she pleaded, but the old wizard just kept on walking away.

"Damn," she hissed, punching the wall. Tears were welling up in her eyes. "You don't understand, it's not the simple," she repeated.

She looked up, the night sky still black. This time she really did go into the forest, just as the tears started to fall.

_The world seems not the same,_

_Though I know nothing has changed._

_It's all my state of mind,_

_I can't leave it all behind._

_I have to stand up to be stronger._

'What's so great about the truth,' she thought bitterly, shoving her way through the branches. 'It causes just as much pain and suffering. At least through lies one could have false happiness.'

She let out a frustrated whimper. 'Though others would call living through lies not living at all.'

_Have to try to break free_

_From the thoughts in my mind._

_Use the time that I have,_

_I can't say goodbye,_

_Have to make it right._

_Have to fight, cause I know_

_In the end it's worthwhile,_

_That the pain that I feel slowly fades away._

_It will be alright._

Abigail felt like she couldn't do anything right anymore. It seemed the options she did have would only end up hurting somebody. Maybe if she kept it all bottled up, she would only hurt herself. But was that really any better?

"I just want to help…and laugh and-and love! Why is that so difficult? If I'm living in a fairy tale world, where's my stupid happy ending?" she whispered angrily.

_I know, should realize_

_Time is precious, it is worthwhile._

_Despite how I feel inside,_

_Have to trust it will be all right._

_Have to stand up to be stronger._

She finally stopped stomping around the forest, and stood still. The trees were sleeping and the air was silent, only once in a while could you hear the small movement of a creature.

"It will always be easy, won't it," she mused, staring off into the distance. "It will always be easy to give up, run away and try to go back to some sense of normality."

_Oh, this night is too long._

_I have no strength to go on._

_No more pain, I'm floating away._

_Through the mist I see the face_

_Of an angel, who calls my name._

_I remember you're the reason I have to stay._

Her weighted feet stumbled back against a tree and she wearily slid to the roots. She rested her head on her knees and curled up into a little ball.

"I really miss you right now, Haldir,' she said, as if he could actually hear her. "I just wish I could think in the back of my mind, 'when I finish this, I can see my father again'."

She continued to talk in a wavered voice as she started crying again.

"But, that isn't going to happen, is it? No matter how much this quest destroys me, I made a promise. Not only to Frodo, but to you as well, and to myself. I'll be honest though, father, if I die at the end it just might be welcomed."

Abigail wondered for a moment if she should take back those words. She surprised herself even more when she didn't.

"I-I'm just tired, Haldir," she breathed softly, closing her eyes, "So, very tired."

_I have to try to break free_

_From the thoughts in my mind._

_Use the time that I have,_

_I can't say goodbye,_

_Have to make it right._

_Have to fight, cause I know_

_In the end it's worthwhile,_

_That the pain that I feel slowly fades away._

_It will be alright._

Instantly and gratefully, she fell asleep against the hard wood. Then, a tall figure came out of hiding and picked her up gently, carrying her back in the direction of the camp.

(A/N- The song is Pale by Within Temptation. Another beautiful song that I thought was theme fitting.)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Legolas and Gimli were surprised to look up and see Aragorn carrying Abigail back into the camp. The ranger walked in silently and set the sleeping girl down in some blankets.

Gandalf, however, did not stir or move his gaze from the fire.

"Is she alright?" Gimli asked quietly.

Aragorn nodded. "She is merely exhausted, though I am not sure from what." He threw a questioning glance towards Gandalf, who still did nothing.

Legolas finally noticed the lack of emotion or movement from the old wizard.

"Gandalf, is something wrong?" he asked, concerned.

Gandalf brought his head up slightly and sighed.

"Perhaps, my friend, I am simply confused." His withered hand stretched out to grab a small log. He threw it in the fire and then returned to staring at the flames.

The three companions shrugged, and relaxed, assuming they would get no more answers tonight.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The following morning, the travelers prepared to leave, with the Rohirrim more than eager to return home.

But the group went inside Isengard one more time to speak to the Ents. Of all places, they ended up situated in front of the Orthanc.

"If possible, Treebeard, I would like you to continue management of Isengard," Gandalf requested. "You are doing such a fine job, after all," he added, with a hint of amusement.

"I shall stay, wizard Gandalf, and watch over this establishment like dew clings to an acorn, ba-rum-rum," he coughed. "Or does the dew cling to a willow? Let me think for moment…"

"Are you sure it just doesn't cling to a rock?" Merry shouted playfully.

"Or maybe a duck," Pippin chuckled.

"Now don't rush me, Master Hobbits, I'll get it soon enough…hmm." Treebeards leaves shook as he thought harder.

"By my father's beard, we'll never get out of here at this rate," Namian muttered, shaking his head.

Just then, a small distraction came flying out the towers window.

"Look out," Legolas cried.

Everyone covered their heads, not knowing what the object could be.

Thankfully, it only landed with a small 'plop' in the water by Aragorn's horse.

Pippin, who was on Aragorn's horse, immediately jumped off to retrieve the item. With a strange fascination, he fingered the glass ball he had just picked up.

'The palantir,' Abigail breathed silently.

"What is it, a parting gift from Saruman," Théoden asked, puzzled.

"Nay, it is no gift," Abigail whispered beside him. Théoden, being the only one that heard her, just looked more confused, but said nothing on the matter.

"If you would be so kind as to give that to me Peregrin Took," Gandalf asked calmly. But when the hobbit handed it over, Gandalf quickly and almost fearfully wrapped it in his robes.

Abigail wondered if she was the only one to notice the longing gaze Pippin had at the seeing stone.

"Bless my bark. Is it indeed from Saruman?" Treebeard asked, forgetting about his troubling metaphor.

Gandalf scoff. "Due to the poor aim, I would guess that it was Grima."

"Grima? For what reason does that snake have for hurling a crystal ball at us?" Éomer's eyes narrowed.

"I have a contradicting suspicion…" Gandalf trailed off, but then waved his hand airily. "We can discuss my 'wild' theories later. For now, I believe we should depart."

"Don't be hasty, sir Gandalf," Treebeard said. "We Ents are keeping a good eye on things nowadays. You should have a safe trip."

Gandalf put on a friendly smile. "I have no doubt. Thank you for all your help, Fangorn."

"It was a pleasure to meet you all," the ent agreed.

"Bye Treebeard!" the hobbits chorused enthusiastically.

One by one, the brigade filed out on their horses. Abigail, in her favorite spot of the back of the line, took what she presumed to be her last glance at the tower. In one of the top windows, she saw a wisp of stringy white hair, and then it was gone.

Treebeard stole a small look and the young lady.

"You know," he said lowly, "Not too long ago an Oak friend of mine heard some lovely singing by the southern border. He even caught a glimpse of a tall, wandering girl."

Abigail looked up, but Treebeard was only looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Did he now," she smirked. "Isn't that interesting."

"Indeed, ba-rum-rum. Farewell, then," he said, walking away.

She thought she noticed the traces of a smile through his old bark.

Abigail turned Veryohtar's reins and caught up with her fellow riders.

"Abby," Merry called back from Namian's horse, "You never did tell us what exactly you did after you got separated from Pip and me, up until you went to Helm's Deep."

"Young Brandybuck does actually have a point. Unless it's a _secret_ or something," Gandalf added, putting emphasis on that particular word.

Abigail had the urge to glare, but resisted.

"It not much of a story really," she said truthfully. "Mainly I just walked around the forest in a daze until Veryo showed up," she said, patting the horse's neck.

She chuckled suddenly. "But during the Riders siege I did get some nice slices at those orc before I entered Fangorn."

Namian's horse suddenly pulled back at he went beside her.

"Y-you were at the night siege at Fangorn?" he asked, wide-eyed with some sort of realization.

She raised an eyebrow. "Yes, surely one of the others told you the tale of how Merry, Pippin and I were captured."

"Ah, yes, now I remember. Aragorn did ask me about a woman in addition to the two Hobbits when we met briefly in the Gap of Rohan," Éomer nodded.

Namian went a little pale. Not sickly pale, more like shocked pale.

"Abigail, do you remember doing something else at the siege…like, helping someone."

Abigail bit her nail as she tried to think back. "Actually…yea I do. There was a soldier who was hurt that I helped. He grabbed my leg and I was about to hit him until I saw the poor man had a terrible wound in his shoulder…"

Now Abigail looked shock when she realized Namain's point.

"It was you!" they exclaimed at the same time, and then they started laughing lightly.

"Did I miss something?" Gimli grumbled, looking at the pair as if they were insane.

"Lord Éomer," Namian said, still chuckling. "Do you not remember how my wound had mysteriously been bandaged during the battle?"

"Are you saying…" Éomer started.

"Yep" Namian smiled, "Here is my miraculous savior," he gave a grand gesture towards Abigail.

"How come you didn't say anything when we met up?" asked Aragorn.

"I was barely awake at the time. Only later did I confess to seeing a woman who appeared out of nowhere and saved my life."

Abigail blushed faintly, all eyes on her. "I did not do much. Just washed his wound and ripped a piece of my skirt off to bandage it. I wasn't about to let him bleed to death, even if I was a tad busy fending off some orcs."

Éomer's lips curled into a small smile. "I'm glad you decided to stop and help, otherwise I would have lost a good soldier and friend. You have my thanks, Lady Abigail."

"You have mine as well, of course," said Namian, who leaned over and gave her a small peck on the cheek.

Her 'light blush' turned a shade darker as Merry snickered at this action.

" 'Twas nothing. Don't mention it…seriously," she muttered.

(A/N-If y'all are unaware about what they are talking about, skim through chapters 32 and 33 for a quick reminder.)

Pippin, still on Aragorn's horse, cleared his throat.

"As long as we are in a questioning mode, I have one for Gandalf. How come a few minutes in old Saruman's tower seemed like hours outside?"

"Now _that's_ an explanation I want to hear," Théoden agreed.

"I am not positive, but I think it was some kind of defensive spell put on the tower by Saruman," Gandalf stated. "In case he ever got locked in the tower, I believe he wanted some sort of time-altering spell to make the days go faster. Or it could be some sort of technique used to delay the time he had with captives or enemy's."

"Seems reasonable enough," Aragorn nodded.

Abigail sounded a not so ladylike snort. "Nothing that man does is reasonable," she said rigidly.

Her companions gave her a pointed look, but started talking about a new subject to fill their time on the journey back to Edoras.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Meanwhile, in Rivendell

Arwen woke up suddenly and sat up straight in her canopy bed. She breathed heavily as she rubbed her temples, trying to sooth her pounding head.

"What does it mean," she whispered, trying to sort out the visions that had spun through her head moments ago.

She hopped out of bed and onto the cold stone floor. As she ran to the door she grabbed her dressing robe and threw it on.

'I must speak with Àda,' she thought.

She opened the door cautiously; then started to run down the cobbled streets of Imladris. It was either very late or very early depending on the time, but all was still dark with faint stars twinkling above.

She was about to take the turn to her father's bedroom, when she noticed a light on in Elrond's study.

She sighed. "It would be just like him to already know I'm coming."

Arwen changed directions, and she didn't even stop to close the doors after she burst through them into the study.

"What do they mean?" she demanded.

"I am afraid you will have to be more specific than that, dear daughter," Elrond replied steadily.

"These dreams, visions, whatever you want to call them. What are they trying to tell me?"

"Why don't you tell me what you are seeing first," Elrond said evenly.

Arwen took a calming breath, and then sat across from him in one of the plush chairs.

"At…at first I see Aragorn, in a stone room filled with sunlight," she began slowly. "He's running and laughing with a little boy…and he's happy."

Elrond merely nodded. "Anything else?"

"Yes. Usually the scene shifts next. I find myself wandering through a dimly lit wood with fading trees-I'm clad in black. But at the same time, I see myself strolling merrily through a rich red wood…and I feel at home."

Arwen leaned uneasily in her armchair. "One part shows death and sorrow, another part shows life and peace. You have the gift of foresight, tell me what you see," she pleaded.

He looked at his daughter sadly, knowing he did not have the answer she wanted. Still, he replied truthfully. "I have seen your future, and if you stay here you shall only find death."

She seemed shocked at first, and was quick to protest. "But there is life as well! What about the child and-"

"The child you see is Aragorn's son. Though it is still not certain if that future can be his."

"Can that not be my son as well?" she asked, somewhat hopeful.

Elrond shook his head. "It is faintly possible, Arwen, that you will see him again. But you must understand. Even if Aragorn survives this war, you will still be parted. If Sauron is defeated and Aragorn made king and all that you hope for comes true you will still have to taste the bitterness of mortality. Whether by the sword or the slow decay of time Aragorn will die."

"But, but isn't it possible that we can at least be together for that fleeting moment of time? Do I not have the choice to die with him?" she said weakly.

"No, sweet Arwen, you are fated to live as the elves do. If you linger on Middle Earth, you are lingering alone in the faded forest that you saw. By coming to the Grey Havens, you will life more than a life. You will be a star among stars and be at peace with your friends and family. That much you saw as well."

She stood up and started to pace quietly, too anxious to remain in the chair.

"So, he is really not coming back. Our love will never be what it once was," she admitted regretfully.

"Your love is one to be remembered and cherished, but you cannot wait for it. The time has come to move on," Elrond said.

Arwen stopped pacing, but instead stood wearily. This troubled and saddened her deeply. The man she believed to be the love of her life was no longer so. But…in the strangest of ways…was she relieved? Was it, as she feared before, that all along she knew this day would come?

'No, it still hurts,' she thought.

"_Ah im, ú-'erin veleth lîn?_" Elrond said with a fatherly smile.

Arwen returned traces of the smile, though her eyes continued to hold sorrow. "_Gerich veleth nîn, ada."_

(Do I not also have your love? You have my love, father.)

"All wounds will heal, daughter," Elrond said, bringing her into a comforting hug.

"I pray to Valar they will," she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.

Arwen pulled away, and wiped her eyes.

"Father, there is a favor I would like to ask you now. I believe it will bring me closure, as well as assist Aragorn greatly."

"Anything you need, dear."

Arwen sat down with Elrond again, as she explained her plan.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Augh, this chapter was very weird to write. There was a lot to put in, but in the end it's still a lot like a filler. Not one of my better writings, but I'll just try to go with the flow.

Thanks to Reviewers:

writin4fun15: I was happy that I could finally clear up all this question. Still, there is many more questions that need to be answered, and much drama to follow (bwahahaha). Thanks!

KeeperMusicNight: I noticed the spell check for reviews too. Now I can actually sound intelligent when reviewing (woot was seriously in the dictionary? Hahaha). I'm glad you like the chapter, and thanks for reviewing!

Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: Yeah, I decided to keep them all confused a little while longer (but not too much longer, hint hint). I bet a lot of were planning on Abigail confiding in Gandalf, but I have a few tricks up my sleeves yet. Anyway, thank you!

Lady Galriee: Welcome to the review corner! It's really nice to hear you're enjoying my story, and I hope to hear from you again. Thanks!

ArwenEvenstar83: Yea, having him betray the council for 10 years might be a bit of a stretch, but it's plausible and it works with my story. Hmm, I suppose Saruman and Palpatine are a bit alike…interesting (Abigail…I am your father…jk). Yes, Saruman is a big, mean, chauvinist, so you can't really pity him that much. As I said above, the Gandalf questioning went a little different than most of you were expecting, but I have my reasons. Thank you!

Jupuffskin: I'm always happy to help spread the words of the good fics (let me know if you find any good ones). Thanks for reviewing!

Narnian Sprite: Ha, I kind of doubted you would really MISS Grima, but I thought I'd say it just in case. I'm glad you like the chapter, thanks!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Seriously, if I am anywhere near the same league as 'Safe in My Arms' I'm happy. I adore her story, and it is for sure more creative and intelligent than mine. I am still very pleased you consider me #2 (and #1 in a way). Thanks for the badge and the review!

GDI: I am sorry I took 2 WEEKS to update and I'm going to try to not let it happen again. As I said before, my confidence in this chapter is waning, but I hope you still like it. Thank you!

Arwen will be back, at least one more time. And I'm not going to keep making excuses for Abigail's lies. The damn will burst very soon, if you know what I mean.

Izzy: No, they really don't know what that means.

MN9: They are not all as dimwitted as you, Izzy.

Izzy: How about you put it in plain English just to make sure.

MN9: Technically, that was in English.

Izzy: …you are infuriating…

MN9: I know (grins crazily)

Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	46. A Not So Wanted Celebration

Just watched 'Chronicles of Narnia' last night (William Mosely makes me smile). Still a great movie, and watching it makes me want to actually finish the series by C.S. Lewis, I never got past reading 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe'. And I know I'm a bit late in posting again, but this chapter is really long and I think it's one of my best. Ah well, continue…

Disclaimer: I really am running out of clever ways to say this, I DON'T OWN LORD OF THE RINGS.

Chapter 45 Recap(s):

Recap #1- Abigail sounded a not so ladylike snort. "Nothing that man does is reasonable," she said rigidly.

Her companions gave her a pointed look, but started talking about a new subject to fill their time on the journey back to Edoras.

Recap #2 - "All wounds will heal, daughter," Elrond said, bringing her into a comforting hug.

"I pray to Valar they will," she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.

Arwen pulled away, and wiped her eyes.

"Father, there is a favor I would like to ask you now. I believe it will bring me closure, as well as assist Aragorn greatly."

"Anything you need, dear."

Arwen sat down with Elrond again, as she explained her plan.

(A/N-There really was about 2 endings in that chapter, so I thought putting both would be wise)

Chapter 46:

The return trip to Edoras was fairly uneventful. Gandalf remained a tad distant and cold towards Abigail, and she hoped no one had really noticed. Namian, however, was showing the exact opposite emotion and tried to help Abigail in any way he could. It was his way of repaying the debt he believed her owed her, though it actually became annoying once in a while.

Like the time her had insisted on helping her onto Veryohtar (though she was perfectly capable), and he became a little too excited with the aspect of being useful, and pushed her right out of the saddle and into the still slightly hot coals of the fire pit. Apart from a charred skirt and a sore butt, no real damage was ensued, but Merry and Pippin wouldn't stop mentioning in for the entire afternoon. They promptly stopped when Abigail threatened to sharpened her daggers on their 'big, fat, skulls' if the didn't 'shut up'.

Needless to say, Abigail was grateful when she saw the massive hill that the city was built upon come into view.

"Have you ever been to Edoras before, my lady," Éomer asked, noticed her awe.

"No, this would be my first time, Lord Éomer. Actually, I never even been in Rohan before I joined the fellowship," she replied.

Despite her protests, the Rohirrim insisted on using the title when addressing her (save for Namian), so she did the same.

"Where did you spend all your time, then. I have yet to hear the whole story," the young horse lord continued.

She smiled softly. "I was raised in the woods of Lothlorien, with the elves. My parents died when I was young, and left me in the care of an elvish friend," she lied sweetly. "Again, I never left the city until I was called to the Council, but I did not care. For the time, I was happy with simply exploring and living with the tree's."

Éomer nodded. "I lost my parent's as well when I was young."

"I'm sorry," she said honestly. In truth, she herself felt no great lose in leaving her stupid father. Still, she didn't forget what the mirror had shown her that day. It predicted her mother returning for her and her father being sorry for once in his pathetic life.

'I wonder if that could still happen,' she thought. She turned her attention back to Éomer as he started to talk again.

"Thank you, I am sorry for your loss as well. Éowyn and I are very fortunate to have Théoden for an uncle. He's as kind to us as any father would be," he sighed sadly. "Though sometimes I fear my sister still feels the weight of their death."

Abigail had never seen this side of Éomer before. Until now, she had mainly heard and seen him as a warrior and a rider. Now that he was opening up to her, she saw the concerned brother.

"But she still has you to lean on, my lord. There is a bond between siblings that will never be broken. Continue to be there for each other and neither of you will be alone," she advised.

She couldn't help but think ahead to when Eowyn was supposed to be stabbed by the Nazgûl. She remembered it was only Éomer's voice that would bring her back, so she hoped he would take her words seriously.

His face did not look as somber as it had a moment ago.

"You sound like you speak from experience, Lady Abigail."

"I know what it is like to carry a burden and to be alone, a nasty combination. To have someone there to help you makes a world of difference," she said, and kicked Veryohtar to the front as they came through the front gate.

Éomer thought about this for a second, and then shook his head.

'What the others said was true. The more she says, the more mysterious she becomes.'

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Am I the only one who finds it ironic to celebrate a victory while we are still in the middle of a war that could still destroy us all," Abigail muttered to herself, making her way to her supposed room.

Basically as soon as the horses had been stored in the stable, King Théoden informed them that there was going to be a feast at the Golden Hall tonight.

"I believe we could all use a little good cheer," he explained.

Abigail wasn't against the idea; she just wasn't exactly in a partying mood.

It was also decided it was unseemly for her to sleep on the floor of the hall with all the men, so she was told to take the servants quarter right next to Lady Éowyn's bed chamber.

She soon found the cherry wood double-doors that were described as Éowyn's room, as she assumed the small door to the right led to hers.

She went inside and discovered it was considerably smaller than some of the other rooms she had seen, but it was pleasantly bright and comfortable.

In the corner, next to a tiny window that looked over the plains, was a wooden bed with some wool blankets. She also had a small wardrobe, closet and a sink that looked to be made out of some sort of marble.

She fingered the bed frame, at wasn't surprised to see it adorned with carvings of horses.

Suddenly there was a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in," Abby called.

A petite girl, probably only in her mid-teens came in. After a quick curtsy, she said,

"My lady wishes you to know that you are welcome to use her private bath in the next room if you want to wash up. And, also, that there should be clothes in the closet and dresser to suit your needs."

'Praise the Valar, a bath! I could only imagine what I smell like now. Something along the lines of dirt, smoke and Veryo,' Abigail mused.

"I assume 'your lady' is lady Éowyn," Abby spoke now, out loud.

The blonde girl nodded.

"Yes, Madame. She also wants me to tell you not to hesitate to ask her for anything else."

"And what's your name, in case I'm too afraid to talk to the royals," Abigail smiled playfully.

The young girl smiled back, looking more confident. "My name's Ryn, and I'd be happy to help you too. My room is the on the left of my Lady's room."

"Thank you, Ryn. I might take you up on that."

Ryn grinned again, and took another curtsy before leaving.

Abigail went to the closet and hung up her dirty cloak, quickly scanning the other clothes.

"I wonder how much water I can use for a bath without making people mad," she chuckled, "I think I'm going to need it," she said, inspecting the grim under her nails.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

A couple of hours later and all cleaned up, Abigail was finding a dress to wear to the feast.

"If Rodwen were here, she would kill me for wearing brown," Abigail said to herself lightly.

The brown dress was simple, but nice, made out of plain cotton and decorated with gold lining around the neck and sleeves. The neckline reached the middle of her shoulders (no dip in the back or front, though), with very loose sleeves and a woven belt to put on her waist.

She had just finished styling her hair in a half ponytail when there was a knock on the door.

"Abigail, dearest, are you decent?" said a very fake high voice.

"Just come in, Merry, before you make a fool of yourself," she smirked.

The door opened and the two hobbits came bouncing in.

"A bit too late, I'm afraid," Pippin whispered loudly to Abby.

"Now, what has you two in such a fine mood?" she asked.

"Well, there's a party tonight, so naturally that means one thing," Merry stated, as if it were totally obvious.

"Ale!" they shouted together, and patted each other on the back.

Abby rolled her eyes. "I'm torn between whether I should be concerned for you two or I should be happy to know that I will have the entertainment of two drunken hobbits tonight."

"Aw, now Abby, we promise to drink only in moderation," Pippin pouted, though his eyes were already scheming.

"Hmph. The day you two drink in moderation is the day I see Gimli in a dress," she said, walking out of her room, not bothering to see if they followed.

The two hobbits glanced at each other with a mischievous smirk.

"You don't think…" Pippin started.

Merry shook his head. "We'd need a lot more ale to make him do that. There's a better chance of him shaving his beard before he reaches that point."

Merry bounded out of the room to catch up with Abby.

Pippin sat on the bed for another moment, still thinking.

"Well, that would be just as good," he called after Merry, running out to join them.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail was intrigued to find the hall already filled with not only men, but women as well.

"I guess the invitation was to any family of a soldier," she decided.

"Abby, where should we sit?" Merry asked, tugging her skirt to announce his presence.

"I'm not sure if there's really an order to this. See anyone we know?" she offered.

Pippin caught up a joined the conversation. "I think I see Sir Namian over there, but he's talking to someone else."

"No harm in saying hello, is there? Come on," she encouraged, pulling them with.

"Hullo Namian," Merry said as soon as he was finished.

"Ah, good evening lads," Namian said, with his usual friendly demeanor. "I want you to meet a good friend of mine, Giedd."

Namian introduced a warrior who was probably late thirties with light brown hair and blue eyes.

"Nice to meet you. Namian's been raving about hobbits all afternoon," he said, grinning. He looked up and noticed Abigail. "And you must be none other than the 'savior' he's told me so much about."

"I thought we said not to bother mentioning that again," she said, giving a skeptical look at Namian.

"Well, there's just nothing else worth talking about in my life right, now," he replied sheepishly.

"Besides just finishing the largest battle of his life and going to see the wizard who started it," Giedd added.

The hobbits chuckled and this new man's quick wit.

"Er, yes, well, I didn't actually_ see_ him…"

Namian started to ramble a little and Abigail tuned out, scanning the crowd to see who was here.

She thought she saw Gimli, already standing by the ale barrel, and she saw Théoden by his throne, talking to his niece and nephew.

She turned her attention to a corridor entrance, only to see Aragorn walk through, dressed in a red tunic with a black vest and brown leggings. It seemed as if he had cleaned up a bit as well, for his hair was straighter, but even from here she could tell his beard was still not clean shaven.

'Of course, to me, he looks perfect,' she thought, almost dreamlike. 'Gah, bad thoughts, I'm suppose to be convincing my self that I don't love him.'

Suddenly, he looked her way and she quickly turned around.

Aragorn's POV

Aragorn walked into the Golden Hall, listening to the idle chatter and observing the large crowd.

'I guess all the people want to celebrate some form of victory, not matter how much still needs to happen,' he thought.

He got a strange sensation that someone was watching him, so he looked around and faintly noticed a head whip around to face the opposite direction of him.

Even from back here he could recognize Abigail. He peered through the crowd and could tell she was wearing a brown and gold dress with only half her hair styled up.

'Such simplicity and she still looks amazing,' he thought. He mentally chided himself, but even since Helm's Deep he couldn't stop thinking about her. She had tried to tell him something, but what was it?

_Flashback_

"_Don't tempt me," she accidentally whispered out loud._

"_What?" Aragorn dropped his hand at the shocking grievance in her voice._

"_The other day, you told me that you could never hate me. Well I can say the same. I could never hate you Aragorn," and she sounded honest._

_She grabbed Veryohtar's reigns and started to leave, but she stopped suddenly besides Aragorn. Her eyes still cast down but he continued to face her._

"_You don't understand…I want…no, I can't…but," she fumbled with her words. "I am sorry, Aragorn."_

_End Flashback_

That moment is what made him loose some sleep every night. What was even worse that not understanding what she was saying was that he didn't even understand why he cares so much. Indeed, Abigail was his friend, but this concern he felt was different than any worry he had ever felt for Legolas or Gandalf.

He came out of his thoughts and saw Théoden rise to give a speech. Aragorn sat down at the closest table.

Abigail's POV

People were hushed as Théoden stood up to say something. Finding no seats available, Abigail leaned lazily against a wooden pillar.

Éowyn kneeled and gave the King a large goblet. He stared at the cup, contemplating for a moment, before he spoke.

"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country," he raised his glass. "Hail the victorious dead!"

"Hail!" the crowd responded, and took a drink.

Abigail didn't have a glass, but then again she wondered if she really wanted to drink to that.

'Remember the dead, yes. But I would rather hail those who are still alive, or those who should be,' she thought bitterly, reminded again of characters such as Finwé or Haldir.

"Tonight is supposed to be a celebration, try not to make it look like a funeral," a man said.

She looked over a recalled him as Gamling, Théoden's soldier and advisor of sorts. He was a nice enough fellow, as far as she knew, but in the end she really didn't know him.

"Sorry?" was her reply.

"Many people realize what tonight means, it was a victory with many smaller losses. But we try to keep a cheerful mood, as to not be reminded. For some, one night of relief can help for the lifetime to come," he finished, handing her a glass.

She smiled, noticing it was plain water. Wine she liked well enough, but she was not much of an ale drinker.

"Thank you, and I'll remember that."

"Enjoy yourself, my lady. You deserve it as much as I," and he went away.

Abigail remembered bits and pieces about Gamling from the story and movie she new. Similar to Éomer, though, she only came to know certain sides of him.

'I never thought about how being in the story gives me a chance to really know the characters. Hell, I could have found out if Grima has a secret passion for gardening,' she thought, and then snorted into her glass (earning an incredulous look from the man next to her). 'Probably not,' she internally shook her head.

For a while, she did some small chat with some women and a couple times found her way to the hobbits or Namian and Giedd. Somehow, though, she wasn't running into the fellowship members, which she wondered if she should be grateful for. As far as she was concerned, there was no great amount of ill will between her, Legolas or Gimli. With Gandalf and Aragorn…she wasn't so sure.

However, not much more than half an hour into the night she saw Éowyn approach Aragorn, with a look like that a schoolgirl would have on her first crush. She was carrying the goblet that Théoden had drunk out of (another tradition, no doubt).

Minor jealously flared as Aragorn accepted the cup with a small smile and Éowyn blushed lightly.

'Every other girl in Middle Earth can fall in love with Aragorn except for me,' she frowned slightly. 'He hasn't smiled like that with me for a long time, though.'

She knew that nothing would become of Éowyn's feeling. But right now she could be closer to Aragorn than Abigail could, and that was what burned her.

Deciding she needed some air, she slipped out the door and sat down on the stone terrace.

_She'd do anything to sparkle in his eye_

_She would suffer, she would fight, and compromise_

_She's been wishin' on the stars that shine so bright_

_For answers to the questions that will haunt her tonight_

_She must rinse this all away_

_She can't hold him this way_

_She must rinse this all away_

_She can't love him this way_

_How she'd be soothed, how she'd be saved if he could see_

_She needs to be held in his arms to be free_

_But everything happens for reasons that she will never understand_

_'til she knows the heart of a woman will never be found in the arms of a man_

_She must rinse this all away_

_She can't hold him this way_

_She must rinse this all away_

_She can't love him this way_

Who else should come outside and join her but Éowyn?

"I saw you come out-I wanted to make sure you were alright," she explained.

Abigail smiled at the genuine concern. She had only met the woman briefly at Helm's Deep, yet she was the one to notice.

"I just needed to get away for a moment. What King Théoden said…well, it was fitting, but it just brought back some memories."

Éowyn nodded. "I heard about your, um, father. I can understand why this night could be…awkward?" she ended, wondering if that was the right word.

"Yes, awkward works," Abigail agreed. "I heard about your family as well. Perhaps you and I are similar in more than a few ways."

"Except I envy you," she cut in.

Abigail was about to say 'I could say the same', but she decided against it. "Why is that?" she asked instead.

"You are able to go out in the world and battle for what's good. I must sit here a be the 'image' of what's good for a lady."

When Abigail started this journey, it was partially to prove that woman were worth something more. Nowadays Abigail could forget what she was fighting for. That was something she liked about Éowyn. She still had the will to prove something.

"I won't be the one to prevent you from fighting, if ever it happens," Abigail told her. "But I will say this, not all battles need to be fought with swords. I know you are grateful for what you have, and I do understand why you would want to fight, believe me I do. No one likes a cage."

Éowyn's eyes widened slightly at her particular use of that word.

"But even if you are in a cage, Éowyn, were have the tools to open the cage door."

"What do you mean?" the blonde maiden asked eagerly.

"You are niece to a king and in a position of power. You have the compassion of a leader and the kindness of an innocent. You are in a place where you can still help a great number of people and voice your opinion, without having to risk your like or take another's."

Éowyn looked like she was considering these words.

"But I still want to prove something by actually fighting," she said.

"I know, and I said I wouldn't be the one to stop you. I'm just giving you something to think about. A different opinion from someone who is not an overprotecting and cautious family member."

Éowyn tilted her head, but her lips curved into a small smile as she stood up.

"I understand. Thank you for the advice, I will not forget it. Do you want to come back inside now?"

"Go on ahead, I'll just enjoy the stars for a minute longer," Abigail said.

The woman nodded again, and disappeared through the door.

Abigail did stay out for a little longer, but instead of going back to the feast she went around and escaped back into her room, really not in the celebrating mood now.

_And if she runs away she fears she won't be followed_

_What could be the worse than leaving something behind_

_And as the depth of oceans slowly become shallow_

_It's loneliness she finds..._

_If only he was mine_

…

_She must rinse him_

_She must rinse him_

_She can't rinse him_

_She can't rinse him_

_She can't, she won't, she must rinse him_

_She can't, she won't, she must rinse him_

_She must rinse this all away_

_She can't hold him this way_

_She must rinse this all away_

_She can't love him this way_

(A/N-The song is Rinse by Vanessa Carleton. A favorite of mine and it almost perfectly describes Abigail's current relationship/feelings towards Aragorn. I'll try not to go overboard with the song usage, but sometimes I really think it helps, and I just plain love music.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Frodo guessed night was approaching, but as they got farther into Mordor, the darker the sky got no matter what time of day.

"Mr. Frodo, I think we can stop soon for a rest," Sam piped up.

"Yes, Sam, of course," said Frodo absentmindedly. Every night Frodo lied down to go to sleep, but he hardly ever did so. There was this tension in his heart and these dark whispers in the back of his head. Most of the time he would just stare at the ring, not even realizing he was doing so.

"Do you ever think about _them_, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked suddenly.

"I wonder a lot, Sam. But I try not to dwell too much on thoughts. This was my choice, and I'm trying hard not to regret it too much." He paused and looked at his dear friend. "I hope you're not having second thoughts, Samwise. It's a bit late for that."

Sam looked slightly taken aback, astonished that Frodo had attempted at making a joke. He found his voice soon enough.

"Of course not. I'm by your side all the way, Mr. Frodo. I wonder a lot too, and worry, but as you've said before, Strider will take care of them. Though I doubt Abigail will let him, being how she is…but we'll see them in the end and find out I 'spose."

He straightened out his pack. "Now I wonder where our little Skulker went off to. I think it is about time we stopped for the night."

While Sam went yelling about for Gollum, Frodo smile sadly at his friends never-failing optimism. Sam would always say things like 'when this is over', 'on the journey back' or 'at the time we get home'.

Frodo never had the heart to tell him that with every passing day he doubted he would return home. Still, Sam's quirky optimism and Sam himself was what helped Frodo get through everyday.

He sat down on a rock and took off his pack, though the weight of the ring never left the 'ring-bearer'.

He truly hoped the rest of the fellowship was managing. Maybe tonight he would even get some sleep.

(A/N-Anybody else think Frodo is a lot like Harry Potter? Constantly depressed, suddenly shoved with a terrible burden, endangering his friends, needs to defeat a dark lord etc. Anyway, there was a tidbit of Frodo and Sam for ya.)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

For the rest of the evening, Abigail just mulled around her room. She cleaned up some of her clothes and weapons, and even read a bit of a book she found about the lineage of Rohan kings. She did feel kind of pathetic and childish for hiding from the feast, but there was no sense in dragging everyone else down with her bad mood.

When she finally set down the book, it was very dark out, probably sometime around midnight.

She sighed, and changed into the white cotton nightgown that was in her dresser.

She blew out her candle and lied down in her bed, but no sleep overcame her. Instead she just studied every shadow in the ceiling.

Abruptly, she sat up as a throbbing pain shot through her head. Abigail was sensing something dark and evil, a similar feeling to the Nazgûl.

'But my scar isn't hurting, if it's not a wraith," her eyes widened in fear. 'Oh no! The Palantir!'

Abigail leapt out of bed and hastily put on a dark green dressing robe to cover herself, then she ran out into the corridor.

She scanned the rooms by the golden hall, looking for the one with her friends. Soon enough she found Pippin writhing on the floor. Suddenly Aragorn pushed right past her and ran to Pippin, grabbing the seeing stone out of his hands.

Immediately, Aragorn fell to the floor in pain.

"No!" Abigail cried, and she raised her arm.

Using her power, the ball flew out of Aragorn's hand, but as soon as her mind was connected to the Palantir, she felt as if her soul was being sucked out of her.

_Abigail was on her hands and knees, in a place filled with darkness. But it wasn't dark for long. A menacing glow came from above, and a body immersed in flame came falling down._

"_I knew you would come to me," it hissed._

"_Not by choice, Sauron," she replied as coldly as possible._

"_Yes, trying to protect your friends, how noble," it seethed. "If you really wanted to protect them, though, you would leave them."_

"_I will do no such thing," she stood up, mustering whatever strength she had to face it. _

"_Perhaps than I can use them as means of persuasion. Join me, or they all die," the flame burned harsher._

"_I would never side with you, Sauron" she spat. "But if you so much as touch them I swear I will-"_

"_You'll what?" it hissed angrily. "Your power will not work against me. And you forget, you already belong to me."_

"_Liar! A heart-less monster like you will never control me," she screamed._

"_It's only…a matter…of time," it spoke slowly, and with every word it moved closer. _

_Suddenly it lashed out and touched her. A burning pain was spread through her veins, and then the connection was broken._

Different POV

All were shocked when the ball flew out of Aragorn's hands as soon as Abigail cried out. What was more shocking was that the Palantir was suspended in mid-air. Abigail's eyes never left the stone, but her pupils immediately became glazed over.

The men were too afraid to move, and Merry and Gandalf were busy with Pippin. Legolas finally got some sense, and left Aragorn's side for a moment to throw a blanket over the floating Palantir, causing it to fall to the ground.

Abigail released a small scream as she stumbled violently into the wall. She blinked rapidly, looking terrified and her breathing was shallow.

"Abigail," Aragorn whispered. He picked himself up off the floor and rushed towards her. He touched her shoulder lightly, but she took a step back, flinching.

"The Palantir was pulled out of my hands and it started floating," he murmured, more to himself.

'What? Oh no, they all saw,' she thought, panicking.

"Please, Abigail, what happened," Legolas came over quietly.

"This has gone on too long," she whispered.

They stared at her, puzzled.

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

"Gandalf," she said, knowing he was listening. "I think members of the fellowship should meet in the Golden Hall. The king, Lord Éomer and Lady Éowyn deserve to come to."

"Abigail, what are you doing?" Aragorn asked slowly

"Hoping I still have time to correct some poor judgment of mine," she replied sadly. "Come, there is something you all need to know about me."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I've been waiting to write this chapter almost all year now, I feel very satisfied. One of my finest, I hope, though again I leave you all with a nasty cliffy.

Thanks to Reviewers:

Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: I like to keep you guys guessing, though, now you know the truth is coming. Oh, and I don't exactly know elvish. But there is a really useful sight that has lots of information about Lord of The Rings including translations from the movie and other useful elvish phrases. The site is 'Council of Elrond' (you can google it) and it really is a lifesaver. I owe it sooo much. If you click the links to 'Language's' or Elrond's Library', that's where you'll find the most useful things. Thanks for reviewing!

writin4fun15: I am well rested now, thanks for that concern, and I'm glad you approve of the chapter. My school did a musical called 'Phantom' which is a slightly different version of 'Phantom of the Opera'. Same general plot and characters, mainly different music. Thanks!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Hey, if you were stuck with Izzy you'd get annoyed sometimes, too. Lol, and the lies are finally going to end! Are you ready? Hahaha, thanks for reviewing!

KeeperMusicNight: Hmm, well that weekend was opening night for a lot of schools, so I'm guessing it a coincidence. Or maybe it's sign from above. Yeah, there wasn't a lot of action in the chapter, but it was still needed. Thank you!

ArwenEvenstar83: Ha, heezy, I like it! The singing Treebeard was referring to was during the time she was lost in Fangorn, even before Helm's Deep. It's a bit of a stretch, but I wanted Treebeard to have some sort of acknowledgement with Abigail, no matter how small it was. And yes, if you read chapter 33 (I think it's that chapter) there's a conversation between Namian and Giedd about all that. Thanks for another super long review!

Narnian Sprite: Yeah, the Arwen living or dying thing never quite made sense. Because either way she's a half-elven so she can choose mortality, or an elf can die from a broken heart. My theory, at least for this story, is that there is an in-between phase. I think she would still outlive Aragorn for a good many years, and when he did die all her family would have already sailed away to the gray havens. So whether she would truly die or not, there would definitely be a time when she is alone. I hope that makes some sense. Happy to hear you overall liked the chapter, though, thanks for reviewing!

White Blossom of Gondor: No worries, Arwen doesn't have an evil plan or anything to win Aragorn back. I'm following the movie version in which it's Arwen who asks Elrond to reforge the sword and all that good stuff. I don't know if I'd call Liv Tyler a mary-sue exactly, though I can see where you might get that. It was probable a bit hard for Peter Jackson, since in the actual LotR books Arwen is only mention about twice. I remember that in the director's commentary, they cut a scene in which Arwen suddenly shows up at Helm's Deep to help fight with Aragorn. Now that would have been mary-sue. Anyway, thanks for the happy thoughts! It's cool to hear that you could picture Abigail with Eldarion, that's so sweet!

Again, sorry I'm about a day late with updating, but this was freaking 11 pages on Mircrosoft Word, so you better like it. Well, I suppose you don't _have_ to, but it really is one of my longest chapters ever. Lol.

Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	47. You Can't Handle the Truth

Very tiring weekend again, lots of homework and soccer. Finals are also back, so just pity me if I post late (like I just did).

Izzy: That's a really lame excuse.

MN9: Well, if you want to be helpful you could get me a Diet Coke to help wake me up.

Izzy: Sorry, all we have is caffeine and sugar free Diet Coke.

MN9: …(dazed) How does that even constitute as a pop?

Izzy: It doesn't, really. Basically seems like water, bubbles and brown food coloring.

MN9: (head-desk) Fate is cruel…

Disclaimer: I might be suffering from caffeine withdrawal, but I still am sane enough to realized I DON'T OWN LORD OF THE RINGS! It belongs to the marvelous Mr. Tolkien, and some references belong to Peter Jackson.

Chapter 46 Recap:

"Gandalf," she said, knowing he was listening. "I think members of the fellowship should meet in the Golden Hall. The king, Lord Éomer and Lady Éowyn deserve to come to."

"Abigail, what are you doing?" Aragorn asked slowly

"Hoping I still have time to correct some poor judgment of mine," she replied sadly. "Come, there is something you all need to know about me."

Chapter 47:

The members of the fellowship, and of the royal family, slowly gathered in the Golden Hall. Abigail did a short walk around the room to make sure all the doors to the rooms were closed. This would go easier if there weren't any outside interruptions.

Théoden, Éowyn and Éomer were quickly briefed about the events with the Palantir.

Then, too soon for her liking, all eyes were on Abigail, waiting for an explanation to this meeting.

"Well, let's start with the basics," she began nervously. "Is Pippin alright?"

Gandalf looked a little impatient, but answered her question.

"He's a curious fool of a hobbit, but still an honest one at that. There was no lie in his eyes; he told Sauron nothing about Frodo or the ring. In fact, we've been strangely fortunate," he said suddenly, his tone becoming the slightest bit lighter. "Pippin saw a glimpse of the enemy's plan. With this, I plan to make a move that could give us the slightest advantage. But first, I wish to hear what Abigail has to say," his voice becoming cool once again.

"I'm sure you are," she muttered under her breath. "And Aragorn, how are you?"

"I felt the Palantir's drain, sure enough, but it was taken out of my hands before any real damage was done. If I had any glimpse of Sauron, I do not recall it," Aragorn answered calmly.

"Lady Abigail, I have no doubt you called us here for a good reason. I am most anxious to hear it," King Théoden voiced. Apparent they were all as impatient as Gandalf.

"Indeed," Abigail said absentmindedly. She started to pace, a nervous habit of hers.

"I am not even sure how to say this," she began cautiously. "I-I'm a telekinesis…are you familiar with that word?"

Judging from the blank stares, she assumed they didn't.

"Right then, let me try this again," she took a deep breath. "I am a, what would be a good term, a mind-mover."

This they could comprehend, and there was a widespread of small gasps.

"How long?" Gandalf asked bluntly.

"I've been aware of my power from the age of about 16. It was a very accidental discovery, but it soon became natural to me."

"If you don't mind me askin', wouldn't this power of yours been rather helpful to us? That is if I'm understanding it right," Gimli asked with a growl.

"At first, that was part of my plan. When I joined the fellowship, I was thinking that I could be rather useful. But a problem arose on day one," she explained.

"Day one?" Legolas cut in. "You mean the first day of traveling with the Fellowship? What happened…oh," he stopped, remembering that rather 'exciting' day.

"We were attacked by the wraiths," Merry said lowly, also understanding. "You're power had something to do with that?"

"According to what the Nazgûl said-"

"You can understand the black speech?" Éomer looked amazed.

Abigail looked irritated at being interrupted again, but she continued. They had a right to be confused, it wasn't the easiest information to suddenly be dumped with.

"I don't speak the black tongue, but since my power deals with the mind, I am able to communicate with them in some way. I don't fully understand it myself. As I was saying, they informed me that they were attracted to all kinds of power, mine included. As to not risk the fellowship from being caught, I refrained from using it."

She stopped her rapid pacing and sat down on a bench far away from the others. She still couldn't quite read their reactions and thought it best to stay away.

"I use my power once or twice when I thought for sure it could be safe," she paused, looking a bit fearful to continue. "Soon enough, another problem aroused. Even though I had spent all those years learning to focus my power, sometimes it wasn't good enough."

Aragorn straightened up, his eyes widened with realization. "Those-those uruk corpses at Helms Deep…that was you."

She winced at the thought. "Yes, you saw what my uncontrolled power can cause, and I'm sorry you had to see that. In normal situation, I can usually remain stable. But when I become fearful or stressed…the results are gruesome," she hung her head.

The pain in her voice prevented anyone from asking for details. However, Gandalf became the bold one, and she did not expect any less from the white wizard.

"What is the extent of your power, Abigail?" he asked, looking rather displeased and intimidating.

Most of the room seemed surprised at Gandalf's foul mood, but Abigail guessed he understood more than he let on. Her power wasn't as simple as she was making it.

Because of that, she tried to ignore the question and continue to stare at the ground, but Gandalf persisted.

"Abigail, I am asking how damaging those results can be?"

She raised her head slowly. "If…if I truly willed it…I could crush your heart in less than a second."

There was a fearful silence after that statement. Éowyn, without even realizing it, put a protective hand over her heart.

"Please understand, to have enough concentration to even sense the inside of one's body is extremely difficult for me. I hardly ever use my power for anything more than lifting and or pushing," Abigail pleaded, trying to hide the true monstrosity of what she just said.

There was still a short pause before she added, "And, H-haldir produced a safeguard, just in case." She choked a little on his name. She thought of her adoptive father often, yes, but she hadn't really talked about him yet.

She continued with her train of thought, and held up her wrist revealing the thin, silver bracelet that she wore.

"That's of elvish making, and it comes with a very high honor if I'm correct," Legolas mused quietly. He chided himself momentarily for not noticing and questioning it before.

Abigail nodded in agreement. "Haldir gave me this as a gift, just before we left Lorien. It will hum a warning of sorts if I'm about to lose control. There is a more powerful and effective spell enchanted within it, but by the time it's needed I'm in no mind to remember it."

"What is the spell, though I hope to never use it," Legolas said.

Abigail smiled slightly as she chanted the elvish spell.

"_Pool of Eärendil, shine for me bright. Give hope in darkness, give shadow a light."_

Just as it had done in the Golden Wood, a glowing warmth was emitted from the bracelet. The glow soon died down, but that one trick made Abigail feel much more comfortable.

'Thanks again, Ada,' she thought.

Feeling better, she stood up and faced the group more confidently.

"I know it was wrong of me not to trust you with this secret earlier, and it's still unfair that I only tell you now. The times, however, cannot get much darker. I doubt that I could put you at any more risk if I use my power freely, so perhaps I can provide the help that I always wanted to."

No words of comfort were spoken from the others, but no words of malice or objections either. It would take a little time to get use to, but maybe she had been too worried.

"So, let me just make sure I have this right," a small Pippin spoke up. "It's plain to see now that it was you who made the Palantir fly out of Aragorn's hand. But why did you stare at it with those hazy eyes, and why did you scream?"

'The intuitive hobbit isn't going to let this one go, is he?' she sighed internally.

"When my mind connected to the stone, I had a similar effect to you holding the stone, Pippin. Though I promise, I did not speak a word about anything valuable," she promised, directing her gaze at Gandalf.

The wizard seemed to be it deep thought. "Abigail, I will not say I am an expert with this mind magic of yours, but I have studied the Palantir. To have a psychic connection with the seeing stone…that would have connected you to Sauron's mind."

"What does that mean?" Aragorn asked.

"I spoke with Sauron, yes," Abigail admitted. "But nothing came of it.

"But you were actually able to speak with him. No offense to the young hobbits bravery, but one word with Sauron and he almost went mad. Why are you so different that allows you to stay calm? What did he say to you?" King Théoden questioned.

Abigail's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Nothing of importance was said, that is all you need to know."

Aragorn was concerned at the steely reply. Clearly it was something of importance to Abigail.

"I do not wish to make you angry or annoyed, Abigail. You have confessed one secret, which we are all grateful for. But you have more of a story to tell. I think it wise to let us know," Aragorn pressed for answers.

"Please Abigail, you can trust us. It will all be for the best," Éowyn pleaded as well.

"Leave it up to our discretion on if it is valuable or not," Gandalf added.

"No, it does not matter! It's not how the storybook is suppose to go!" she yelled furiously.

But upon saying those words to paled instantly and clapped a hand over he mouth.

'Oh god, what did I just say,' she thought, horrified.

The room was filled with yet another silence as the members looked confused.

"Storybook? What are you talking about Abby?" Merry asked innocently.

"N-nothing. Just an expression, forget about what I said," she stammered.

Abigail was glad that they had accepted her power well enough. She did not want to risk their trust further.

But as she feared, the ever-protective Gandalf would not dismiss it so quickly.

"Explain your self now, my dear." He said it calmly, but the glare in his eyes spoke volumes.

Again, one might be surprised at Gandalf's vicious tone. But one must understand that Gandalf realizes that they were at a crucial point in the war. He was not going to tolerate secrets and lies, especially not when they might affect the outcome in any way.

This was the type of secret he believed Abigail had, and she knew he was right.

"This was not something I had planned on revealing," she said quietly with a heavy heart.

"Then make plans," Gandalf demanded.

"I am not from Middle Earth," she said slowly. But then not waiting for the information to sink she continued.

"I was brought to Middle Earth from my world, which is called just, plain Earth, when I was 13 years old. It's a much more advanced world, technologically speaking, and it's very, very different from here. In theory, it's almost like a future world, because once upon a time our society was similar to the one you have now."

"In what ways is it different?" Legolas asked, stunned.

"No elves, no dwarves and no hobbits. We have no magical dark lords or dark creatures like orcs, trolls and goblins. Those are some basic differences. Even a power like mine is unheard of."

"And what does your comment about a 'storybook' have to do with this?" Gandalf questioned sternly.

"I really was hoping you would just forget about that," she laughed nervously. "Even before I came here, I had heard of Middle Earth, in a way."

"What way?" Pippin spoke up.

"Middle earth was a land in a fantasy book, written by a man. The journey you are on now was recorded as an epic tale titled The Lord of The Rings. As far as I know, this place and all the people in it shouldn't really exist."

"Our perilous journey is a, a, an entertaining story?" Gimli gasped.

"How much is recorded?" asked Legolas.

"Around the time Gandalf showed up in Hobbiton for Bilbo's 111th birthday. The day Frodo received the ring."

"How do you know-"

"I was very fond of the story on my home planet," she replied curtly.

"How far do you know the story?" Éomer intervened.

"Until the end," was all she said.

"What end?" Théoden asked suspiciously.

"I don't think it would be very wise to tell you that," Abigail said coolly.

"Why not? Do you not see what advantage this could give us? Do you know Sauron's plans, do you know how he can be defeated?" he demanded.

"We are not in a book, Théoden King, we are in real life. It is no longer certain what truth, if any, the books still holds."

"But you still know. Events that happened in your story have happened here, haven't they?" Aragorn said quietly.

Abigail was shocked at his sudden insight, but then her mouth narrowed.

"Perhaps. But either way it's not safe to speak of it because I don't want to change anything. The consequences of interfering could be severe."

"But interference has already occurred…you are not suppose to be here, are you," Gandalf said with slow realization. "Is it possible that…Saruman?" He looked and Abigail with absolute puzzlement. "But what is the purpose?" He kept mumbling.

"Um, Gandalf, care to share your thoughts?" asked a confused Merry.

Abigail knew Gandalf was on the right track, and she didn't want to be here when he figured it out.

"I have given you enough to reflect on. I am done with this interrogation, goodnight!" and she stormed, very childishly, out of the hall.

They gaped at each other after the outburst, not knowing how to react.

However, the lone ranger quietly walked out in the same direction as she had left.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"There, I confessed. Can we just get on with it now," Abigail muttered.

She had bottled up some of these secrets for months, and others for years. Yet she felt no relief. She hadn't really expected them to be completely understanding or forgiving right away, but it wasn't like it was easy for her either. The smallest hint of compassion or trust would have been nice.

"That was not a very timely exit," a low voice said behind her.

'Dammit,' she thought.

"I could say the same to you, Aragorn. Do you not want to stay and talk to the others about the 'shocking facts' I just admitted," she said, with a hint of sarcasm.

Dim moonlight lit his face as he came closer to her. Abigail shivered suddenly, when she noticed the hidden emotion in his eyes. Rage, something she had never seen before in Aragorn, and she was afraid she was going to witness it now.

"I have come to my own conclusions, all with unpleasant answers," he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Boromir."

With that one word Abigail began to tremble.

"Aragorn…" she breathed. "Please know, when I first came to Middle Earth I lost my memory. I did not remember anything about my earth life. For part of the Fellowship I still did not remember."

"For what part of the fellowship did you remember then?"

"Since…since Lorien," her eyes fell to the ground. "I looked into Galadriel's mirror, and it gave me back my memories."

"Do you care to explain why Boromir still died? Was it that important to maintain 'the balance'?"

She was silent. She couldn't give an answer that could comfort him. In short, she had failed, but she wanted to deny it so badly.

"What about Gandalf?" he took another step towards her.

"I did not know he was going to fall in Moria-"

"But you knew he was still alive later, yet you said nothing to anyone, not even to Frodo. You saw the pain he was in. Could you not have given him that one sliver of hope?"

"If Frodo had that hope he might not of had the courage to leave by himself. What Galadriel said was right, this task was his and he needed to find his own way. It was not my place to stop him."

"How can you be so certain? Maybe by not interfering you have sent him to his doom!"

"Aragorn, you cannot expect everything from me!" she pleaded.

"No…but I would have expected better from you," he said coldly, and started to turn away. But she grabbed his arm.

"You don't know what it's like, having to bear this knowledge. It's not that simple to make a choice, every time I breathe I could be taking a risk."

"What risks did you take to save Boromir's life? What about Hadlir's, the elf who called you his daughter," he hissed.

She hand slid of his arm, completely shocked. "No! Do not make my misjudgment about them. I tried, you have to realize that I tried."

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Apparently you did not try hard enough. Please warn us, how many more comrades and companions are you going to let die?"

Her mind and body went numb. She looked him in the eyes, but instead of the hazel eyes she loved, she only saw hatred. Slowly, she could feel her heart breaking. The wonderful man she had come to love…hated her. In that moment, it felt like no one trusted her, she felt truly alone.

"It's not my fault…I never wanted this…I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she cried.

Stumbling, she ran away from him.

Aragorn stood still for a moment, and then gasped as if someone had punched him.

All of a sudden it seemed an evil weight had been lifted from him.

"What happened to me? That, that wasn't me," he grabbed his head.

He looked out the window at the glowing moon, which now looked harsh and cold to him.

"I didn't mean to say those things…did I?"

He kept playing the scene in his head over and over again. Nothing made any sense. Abigail had looked so scared; so betrayed. He didn't want that, something just snapped and he couldn't control himself.

"What did I do?" he whispered, running his hand through his hair.

He looked longingly at the spot where had just stood, but after some more internal debate, he headed back to the Golden Hall instead. This was nowhere near over.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Ryn! Ryn, please wake up!" Abigail whimpered, knocking as loudly, but also as quietly, as she could.

Suddenly, the door flew open. The small servant girl studied her with surprise.

"Mistress Abigail? What ever do you want at such an hour? The suns barely-"

"I'm sorry that I have to ask this of you Ryn. I don't want to get you involved."

Ryn's eyes widened. She secretly noticed her tear-stained cheeks.

"W-what are you talking about? What's going on?"

"Can you help me get into the kitchen to get some food and supplies? Quietly?"

"Well…I suppose I can, but what for, if I'm allowed to ask?"

"I'm leaving, Ryn. I can't stay"

"But why, you've only just arrived," the girl said, aghast.

"That's the thing, Ryn. I now realize I have overstayed my welcome by nine years," Abby replied bitterly.

Ryn continued to eye Abigail with extreme confuse as she helped her get food and water containers. Still, Ryn thought Abigail had sounded so distressed, that she wasn't about to say no.

"Mistress, what am I going to tell them?" Ryn finally asked, as there were nearing the back door. Abigail made it quite clear she didn't want to be seen.

"Tell them you came into my room to see if I needed help with anything, and I was just gone. Go to Lady Éowyn first, that would be best," she said nodding. "Again, I'm sorry to put you in this position, but there was no one else I could go to."

"I-I'll do as you ask, but I still don't understand."

"I just can't stay, not when it's like this. There has to be another way, something else I can do," she said softly, but her tone was very sad. "Goodbye Ryn."

"Good luck, Abigail, with whatever it is you need to do."

With that, Abigail went through the door without looking back. Ryn rushed to one of the front windows, and soon enough she saw a dark horse with an equally dark rider disappear through the gate.

"Forgive me, my lady. I hope I acted somewhat justly," Ryn prayed, and went back to her room.

OoOoOoOoOo

I know there are still some things you are probably very confused about, but more will be explained in the next chapter. For now, just enjoy this painful cliffhanger (not).

Thanks to Reviewers:

White Blossom of Gondor: Yeah, floating balls never means a good thing (lol, I just re-read that sentence and it was a very funny image for the 'naughty' part of my mind, if you catch my drift). Yes, she admitted, but obviously there's more to it. Yay for lengthy chapters, thanks!

Narnian Sprite: Glad I'm not too confusing for you. Yes, nasty cliffies is not good, but if it makes you keep reading…lol, thank you!

Jupuffskin: Yeah, I was writing that paragraph and it just sounded very close to Harry Potter angst. Thank you for confirming my 'Arwen theory' and thanks for reviewing!

KeeperMusicNight: This is the part of the story where the angst really starts coming in. And the whole conversation with Sauron was a big foreshadowing for you all. Thank you!

Nightskylover: Glad you liked it! Yeah, I didn't really 'update soon', but better late than never. Thanks!

Valinor's Twilight: Welcome to the review section! Yeah, Aragorn OC really isn't done too often, I suppose (at least I haven't found it). I'm so happy to hear you like my writing! I'm still young, but I'm trying my best to be good. Thanks and I hope to hear from you again!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Hey, if I'm mean to Izzy it's because she deserves it.

Izzy: I do not! (sticks out tongue and places angel halo on her head)

MN9: (snorts, and replaces halo with devil horns) That's more like it.

Izzy: (grabs pitchfork and stabs MN9)

MN9: Hey!

Izzy: (runs)

Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: If you are writing a story, I really do think that cite is very useful. Let me know if have problems finding it. Yes, wonderful chapter equals wonderful cliffy. Lol, thanks for reviewing!

ArwenEvenstar83: I felt the story had been a little dark, so last chapter I added a bit of 'Merry and Pippin humor'. Glad you liked it. Oh, and if you remember back in Lorien, Rodwen just complains that Abby wears brown too much. I myself like brown. Yay, nice to hear my story is convincing! Thanks for all the happy thoughts!

writin4fun15: Yup, patience is a virtue. I've gotten really good responses to that chapter, and I'm glad you agree! As always, thanks for the kudos!

Nikams: Welcome new reviewer! I'm guessing the 'big reveal' turned out a little different than most were expecting, but there are many more twists yet to come (I love keeping you readers on your toes). Thanks so much, and I hope you review again!

Knight Selene: Welcome to the reviewers corner! As I've said many more, I love short and sweet reviews too! Thanks a lot, and please review again!

This chapter was a bit harder to write than expected, so I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Memorial Day is tomorrow, so I won't have school, which means I will try to start writing the next chapter ASAP.

Until we meet again!

-MysticNight9


	48. Change of Course

_**Author's Memo:** I don't plan to talk for this long often, but I've been really bad with updates lately, so I thought I should try to explain myself._

_Between last minutes theatre deals, finals for school and sports, I have been very busy and stressed lately._

_Also, I am at a point in the story where I have yet to make some decisions. The plot, in my own opinion, gets much more complex from now on, and I'm having some trouble in balancing from what needs to be said, to what's interesting and on top of it all I'm trying to make it well written._

_Additions are being added to the story, some things I'm taking out, and some things are undecided._

_I'm still trying to think about the two other stories I'm going to try to start soon, and as you can tell it's all getting to be a lot._

_But, at the same time, this is sort of like that home stretch and I'm very excited to write these chapters, because if I can do them right they will be pretty cool (I think)._

_It's summer, so I'll have more time to write, but it can be hard to actually sit down and concentrate._

_I don't think it's fair to you, as readers, to keep saying I'm going to update soon and then fail to deliver, so I hope you all can understand I and I hope it doesn't discourage you from reading my story._

_I WILL finish this story, but life is crazy, and I'm trying my best._

_Thank you very much for reading; I really do appreciate all of you. Now, read on…_

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. You really should realize that by now.

Chapter 47 Recap:

"I just can't stay, not when it's like this. There has to be another way, something else I can do," she said softly, but her tone was very sad. "Goodbye Ryn."

"Good luck, Abigail, with whatever it is you need to do."

With that, Abigail went through the door without looking back. Ryn rushed to one of the front windows, and soon enough she saw a dark horse with an equally dark rider disappear through the gate.

"Forgive me, my lady. I hope I acted somewhat justly," Ryn prayed, and went back to her room.

**Just one more thing, there is a small, but important author's note at the end of the chapter. Please read it!**

Chapter 48:

Abigail rode quietly through the pale plains of Rohan. Veryohtar cast back confused glances at her now and then, no doubt wondering what the rush was.

She ignored him, though, and everything else as she urged him to gallop faster, trying her best to get away.

'I should have known it never would have worked,' she thought, flashes of the painful night still running through her head. It seemed like her confession had happened so long ago, when in reality in had only been a few hours.

Abigail finally noticed how Veryo was panting heavily, so she slowed down to a walk.

"Forgive me, my friend, my mind was somewhere else," she apologized, stroking his neck.

The horse snorted and just kept walking. She highly doubted anyone was going to follow her, and now she was a good distance away from Edoras, so she could afford a slower pace.

The newly risen sun cast warmth throughout the terrain, but Abigail had never felt colder on the inside.

"Aragorn," she whispered sadly. "Will I ever see him again?" she wondered. She looked behind her towards the direction of Edoras.

"Will he ever _want_ to see me again?"

Abigail knew they weren't destined to be together, but a small part had hoped that maybe, maybe it was possible. It seemed that she had lost all her hope now.

She sighed dejectedly, and rode on. But soon she looked back again and paused.

'Is this really the right thing?' she asked herself. 'I made an oath, and running away was not part of the deal. But am I too much of a risk now? Maybe Aragorn was the only one who was mad; maybe the rest will forgive me.'

Abby shook her head. 'Who am I kidding? If I can't face Aragorn, I can't face any of them.'

"So…where to?" she spoke out loud.

It was tempting to go to Gondor and see if she could help with the upcoming fight. Two problems though: One, she wouldn't be allowed to fight as a woman there and two, the fellowship would be arriving there soon.

Rivendell? Again, tempting to see how thing were going, but she was in no mood to confront Arwen or Elrond.

Mordor? No way in hell was she going _there_ on her own free will.

"I guess it's time I went home, then. Or at least the one place I can still call home," she said softly.

It would be painful going back to the golden woods. No honor or glory would be waiting for her. All that was there would be an empty house. But Arphenon's family would be happy to see her, and she wanted to comfort Rodwen through the loss of her husband. Or maybe even see Haldir's…grave.

'Perhaps it would be for the best to just go back to Lorien,' she decided.

She turned Veryohtar into a northwest path. No longer in a hurry, she kept him at a steady walk.

Something was making her anxious, though, like she had forgotten something.

_I heard about your regrets_

_I heard that you were feeling sorry_

_I heard from someone that you wish you could_

_Set things right between us_

_Well, I guess I should have heard of that from you_

"Oh no!" she gasped suddenly, causing Veryo to come to a surprised halt.

"I used my powers at the golden hall when I moved the Palantir! What it the Nazgûl can track me off that?" she slapped her head against her hand, frustrated. "Agh, this is exactly the kind of thing I was worried about. My powers could have put them in danger!"

She cast nervous glances backwards again. The chances might be slim, but the risk was still there.

"I guess I need to cause a new distraction then," she stated firmly.

She dismounted off Veryohtar.

She walked to the front of him and stroked his nose.

"This might look a little scary, but I'm not going to hurt you, alright?" she said lowly.

She then took a few steps back and faced some boulders lying in the ground.

Abigail took a deep breath, stretched out her arms, and focused on the massive rocks.

Slowly she lifted two of them in the air and idly began to twirl and toss them around.

'Here nazgûl, nazgûl, nazgûl,' she thought, cynical and sarcastic. 'Come follow the telekinetic powers.'

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_Earlier That Day_

Aragorn was in a slight daze as he walked back to the Golden Hall. He still did not understand what really happened between him and Abigail. He said some things that seemed wrong, but at the same time it was right. Anyway, right now it was more important to return to the main group at the hall.

He silently slid in to the back while the group was still deep in conversation.

"And just where did you wander off to?" Legolas appeared to the side of him.

"N-nowhere," Aragorn replied, a bit thrown off by the question. "I merely went out for a moment to get some fresh air. Did I miss anything?" he asked, changing the topic.

Legolas simply nodded to the front of the room, where it seemed a small debate was happening.

"If she has vital information that could help us win this war, I would rather she shared it. Is it not selfish to let us know she has the advantage, and then not use it?" King Théoden accused.

"I hardly doubt you have the right to call her selfish, horse lord. Abigail has done nothing but try to fight for good, and that included fighting to save your people," Gimli countered.

The dwarf believed since Abigail had done no wrong thus far, there was no fair reason to turn on her now.

"Please, Uncle, I think Lord Gimli has some sense. Abigail has shown much respect and kindness for Rohan," Éowyn said gently, lightly touching Théoden's arm.

"But I also believe that if the girl truly has such a raw power, we could use it for the greater good. Where is the harm in that?" Hamling defended his King's argument.

"The Ring has raw power too, but we have all seen what happens when power goes astray, whether by purpose or by accident," Legolas spoke up, startling Aragorn.

"Enough. Please let me speak," Gandalf said from his bench. He stood up slowly and spoke to the whole group.

"This is what I have to say in conclusion," he said decisively. "If Abigail deems her power too dangerous, then let us allow her to use it on her own will. If she is only trying to protect us, that we should not force her. We should also not force her to tell us about her knowledge. The future is a dangerous thing to tamper with, and she obviously has taken a great precaution with it so far. We should not ruin her plan. And, as far as being from another world, a hardly see the difference it makes. She has been here for so many years, she is practically a member of Middle Earth and she is still a member of this fellowship."

Gandalf took a short pause as he paced to the other side, leaning on his staff.

"She did not act wisely in keeping this secret from us, and there is a darker history here than any of you know, which worries me greatly. Though, I do not know if it my place to tell you now."

Aragorn furrowed his eyebrows at this news. What sort of 'dark history' could Gandalf be referring to?

"If it is fit for me to declare so, I believe there is a more pressing issue at hand," the wizard continued. "As I said earlier, Pippin has seen some of the enemy's plans. Sauron knows the Heir of Elendil has come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed. Gondor is in danger, and I intend to see to it immediately. Things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith. And I won't be going alone," he grinned roguishly and looked over at Pippin.

The poor hobbit gulped and tried to hide behind Merry.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Some hours later, when the meeting was fully adjourned, most of the members went back to their rooms as see if they could rest and make use of the little night they had left.

However, before he could leave, Aragorn was pulled aside by Gandalf.

"Your lack of presence was noticed, no matter how sneaky you think you are," Gandalf smirked.

"I did not think I would get past you," Aragorn half smiled.

"Do you wish to explain your troubles to an old man?"

Aragorn sighed. "I have many troubles, all which I could share with you."

"Pick one, to start with," Gandalf said simply, and took a seat at a table.

Aragorn remained standing. "You said Sauron knows the 'Heir of Elendil' has returned. But I am still uncertain if I accept that title."

"The title does not matter, Aragorn. The true fact is that you will be a leader of men in these final days. Whether you want the title or not, you are an inspiration and I believe you are most ready for this task."

"If what you say is true, should I not ride with you to Minas Tirith?"

"No," Gandalf said strongly, shaking his head. "You must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river and look to the black ships. You need to be ready to warn them."

"Warn them about what?" Aragorn asked, exasperated.

Gandalf relaxed. "I can give you a small hint. If the beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war."

"That is the King's decision," Aragorn protested softly.

"Indeed," was all Gandalf said. "Now, let us move on to the popular subject of Abigail. You conveniently left in the same direction she did."

Aragorn crossed his arms and stared into empty space. "I felt the need to speak with her in private."

"Oh? And how did that go?" Gandalf asked, almost arrogantly.

"I…I said some terrible things Gandalf. I just felt such a sudden rage and I could not think before I spoke. I blamed her for Frodo, Boromir…I even had the audacity to blame her for Haldir," he said sadly, shame evident in his voice. With an overwhelmed sigh, he took a seat on a nearby chair.

"You make it sound like an accident," Gandalf commented.

Aragorn thought. "The anger was foreign Gandalf; a misplaced rage. I was shocked and confused maybe, but when I left to talk to her, the hatred that came into my tone was a mistake."

Aragorn looked up hopefully. "Please tell me there is an explanation, or at least some justice in what I said."

It was Gandalf's turn to ponder. "I have a theory, perhaps," he finally said. "You did at least come in contact with the Palantir, yes?"

"Yes," Aragorn nodded slowly.

"I think the stone actually did have some effect on you. It is possible that a small part of Sauron's evil was placed in you somewhere, and then released within that time. That could explain your sudden feeling of hatred."

"It sounds plausible," Aragorn agreed.

"Yes, but understand this Aragorn," Gandalf continued. "I do not believe that one touch the Palantir could force you to say something. You said things in a much harsher way then you intended, but the words were still your own." The wizard looked on him kindly. "It is understandable, though. I have no intention of praising her for some of her actions."

"I do not like fighting with Abigail, Gandalf. But there is truth in what you say. I am upset that she couldn't trust us. This is not a time in which we need more surprises. Though that does not mean we can't still trust her. I want her with us Gandalf," Aragorn finished passionately.

Gandalf pointedly raised an eyebrow at the sudden change.

'Something very strange is going on here,' he thought.

Suddenly, an out-of-breath Pippin burst through the door.

"Sh-she's gone!" he stammered.

"What?" Gandalf stood up quickly while Aragorn rushed to the hobbit.

"I went to her room to go talk to her, and she's not there. Many of her belongings are missing too," Pippin said.

Gandalf's eyes widened. "Pippin, go to the stables and see if her horse is still there. Quickly now!"

Pippin disappeared in an instant.

"You…you don't think she would really leave, do you?" Aragorn asked, deeply concerned. "Was I that terrible to her?" he muttered guiltily.

"Aragorn, I'm afraid this goes deeper than that," Gandalf said lowly.

Aragorn tilted his head, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Gandalf paused, unsure, but then went on. "I have come to believe that Abigail was taken from her own earth to Middle Earth by Saruman."

"Saruman!" Aragorn yelled. "How far must his treachery go?"

"Saruman is not my concern," Gandalf cut in. "With the recent events, I worry that Sauron knows who she is, and he might be looking for her."

Aragorn now looked angry in addition to being concerned.

"Abigail would be a fool to leave now," he whispered harshly.

"Gandalf, I can't find her black horse," Pippin said, coming back in.

Gandalf sighed, rubbing his temples. "There is nothing I can do now, this was her decision, though I find it a poor on at that. I must take Pippin to Gondor, and it is not safe for anyone to leave Edoras to try and bring her back.."

Aragorn turned around and punched a table.

"Abigail…why? You took an oath," he hissed to himself, and then stormed out of the room.

Gandalf observed this with a heavy heart, and then turned back to Pippin.

"Tell the others, if you can find them. But you and I will follow the plan. We leave within the hours, and with any luck maybe we'll run into Abigail on the way."

"I don't understand, Gandalf. Did we do something wrong?" Pippin asked innocently.

Gandalf looked forlorn. "No, dear boy, we did nothing wrong. I only hope she realizes that too."

_Well don't you see, don't you see_

_That the charade is over_

_And all the "best deceptions" and the_

_"Clever cover story" awards go to you_

_So kiss me hard_

_'Cause this will be the last time that I let you_

_You will be back someday_

_And this awkward kiss that screams of other people's lips_

_Will be of service to keeping you away_

_To keeping you away_

(A/N – Theme song for the chapter is **'The Best Deceptions' **by** Dashboard Confessional**)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"If that didn't divert their attention, I don't know what will," Abigail mumbled.

Her little power surge had ended a few hours ago and she was currently riding at a gallop again towards Lorien. Of course, she still had a long ways to go.

Her mind was at a blank, which she thought was better then trying to think about what she did and about what she was doing.

Suddenly, a large shadow was looming behind her. She looked around and saw nothing. But then there came a horrific screech from above.

"Damn it all," she cursed herself. "I definitely did not think this whole plan through."

Abigail urged Veryohtar to ride faster as she tried to find shelter. Sadly, they were still in the wide-open plains.

She quickly pulled Veryo to a stop, and sure enough a large, black, dragon-like creature flew past them.

She attempted to turn around, but the monster was too fast. In an instant it landed right in front of their path.

The wings went down, revealing a wraith rider.

"You are either very foolish, girl, or you have a death wish," he snarled.

"Perhaps both, but for a now I would like to avoid the latter," she replied sharply.

He gave a choked laughed. "You put on a brave face, but I can sense your fear. The time has come, my lady," he spat out the last two words. "It seems you finally ready to fulfill your duty."

Abigail quickly pulled out her dagger and tensed her muscles.

"There is no work to be done with you or your filthy master. I suggest you turn back, and deliver my answer of 'hell no'," she yelled.

"Idiotic mortal. You still think you have a choice?"

"There is always a choice. You can't force me to do anything."

The wraith's dragon replied with a blood-curling scream.

Abigail bent over in pain, clutching her ears.

'At least he's not the one who stabbed me, or this would be much harder,' Abigail thought, somewhat thankful.

"That is where you are gravely mistaken," he hissed. "You are his property. You know for what purpose you were brought here."

"I have turned away from others and I can turn away from this dark lord," Abigail replied bitterly. "You know where I stand, so are you going to leave or are you going to fight," she said, showing her daggers a bit more proudly.

"You cannot defeat me," he mocked while the dragon snapped its jaw.

"You're right, I'm not the one who can fight you," she said softly, reminded of Éowyn's destiny.

Abigail looked at the Nazgûl defiantly. "But I can still run."

She kicked Veryohtar and he swiftly strode into a full-speed run. She steered him towards the gap in-between the dragons' legs, and as she rode through she cut the legs with her daggers.

The creature screamed even louder. Abigail was so distracted by the throbbing pain in her head she failed to notice the swinging tail coming right at her.

In a single blow she was knocked off her horse.

Her vision blurred, but she managed to stay awake. Her daggers were still with her so she prepared a fighting stance.

The wraith simply gave a short, cruel, laugh and then steered his steed into the air.

Abigail was confused, until she realized he was preparing for a dive.

She whistled Veryo over, but the creature was closing fast. Before she could dodge it the dragon's massive claws picked her up off the ground.

She screamed in rage, and tried to stab the feet in hopes in would drop her.

But the talons suddenly dug into her sides and she was jerked upwards.

Now she could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness. In the last moments of awareness she could tell they had turned around and were on the path to Mordor.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Oh, a plot twist and a cliffy in one. Aren't you excited?

Readers: Not really. We're pissed because we haven't heard from you in two weeks. And then you torture us with the evilness of this chapter!

Izzy: Hmm, they do have a point.

MN9: Just whose side are you on?

Izzy: I don't know…Samantha-Girl Scout has cookies…and weapons…

MN9: I can't win sometimes. Anyway, special thanks to the following reviewers:

writin4fun15: Well, at least now you know where she is going, thought it's not really a good thing. Oh, double kudos and you're learning patience. Hurray! Thanks for reviewing!

Lady Galriee: Yeah, it was mainly Aragorn who hurt her, but even that was kind of an accident. She really wasn't thinking too clearly, as you can now see. Thanks for the compliments and for reviewing.

Narnian Sprite: Yes, the ever-lasting cliffies. As a reader a feel your pain, and as an author, I thank you for you sympathy on my slowness. Thanks again!

White Blossom of Gondor: Lol, according to your list she is 100 crazy. Ouch for throwing Arwen out a window, but yeah for supporting the Abigail/Aragorn pairing. Though there is still much drama on the way. Thanks!

Eagle's daughter: Welcome new reviewer! (I think you're new at least, sometimes I lose track) Yeah, didn't quite update soon, but better late than never, right? Lots of Gandalf talk in this chapter. He has to make up for being gone for that long. Anyway, thanks for commenting and please come again!

KeeperMusicNight: I liked that chapter a lot too, very happy to see you agree. Indeed, the angst and sadness will play a bigger role now. It's cool to see the leaving thing was so unexpected. I've said before, I love keeping you guys guessing, though I know sometimes you actually just get annoyed with it. Lol, thanks very much.

Knight Selene: Short and sweet reviews, I love 'em. I think your question was answered. Thanks!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Geez, I have enough emotionally pain and guilt for taking so long, now you want Izzy to cause me physical pain?

Izzy: Well, if it gets the job done…

MN9: Oh, go find some chocolate.

Izzy: Chocolate, where?

MN9: Anyway, thanks for the review!

CrystalMind: Wow, thanks for the great compliment. When I started this I never thought my story and 'incredible' would be in the same sentence. Thanks a lot and please keep reviewing!

Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: I'm glad I could help you out with the website thing! Yeah, mary-sues can be overdone sometimes, but they are (in general) some of the most fun stores to write because an author can really have her/his OWN character. Thanks!

sister kitty: Oh, evil cliffy queen has a nice ring to it. Just kidding, but seriously thanks for reviewing.

Jupuffskin: I think that still says a lot and it makes me very, very happy. Thank you!

ArwenEvenstar83: I think it was better to get all the info out in one blow. Plus, I had planned on the whole leaving thing, so I couldn't save a lot for later. The Aragorn/Abigail was a tad short when I look back at it, but I didn't really know what else to add. Perhaps that can be fixed later for future readers. And yeah, in a way it was kind of Sauron. Aragorn isn't that cruel. Thanks for another long review!

Okay, another memo type thing. I really need some reader's opinion now. For the next chapter I can't decide what characters I should bring in. So, I'm asking for a poll (and respond ASAP so I can't write faster). Here's the question: Would you rather see Elrond or would you rather see Elladan/Elrohir? I'm really having trouble with this one, so let me know if you have a strong preference.

Also, I'm giving you fair warning: I leave for France (yes, France) in less than a week. I will be gone for two weeks, and I can't even bring my laptop on the trip (it's through my school and the teachers said no), which means I can't even write chapters while I'm gone. Since I'm really not the busy this weeks, I plan to try my very best to post at least one more chapter before I leave (that's why there's the urgency to get the poll results).

Thanks, and until next time!

-MysticNight9


	49. Torture of the Mind

So, just a reminder, this will be my last chapter for at least two weeks because I am going out of the country and I won't have access to a computer.

Also, another author's note, for you fans of the Lord of the Rings books, I won't be including the rangers. You might have already guessed that, but I thought I would just say it officially. Their arrival wouldn't really make a difference in this story, so for time's sake I'm going to leave them out.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 48 Recap:

She screamed in rage, and tried to stab the feet in hopes it would drop her.

But the talons suddenly dug into her sides and she was jerked upwards.

Now she could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness. In the last moments of awareness she could tell they had turned around and were on the path to Mordor.

Chapter 49:

The mood of the current fellowship had turned much more solemn and sad with the 'disappearance' of Abigail and the leaving of Gandalf of and Pippin.

Merry was taking it the worst. Abigail had always had a bit of a hobbit personality, and with both her and Pippin gone he felt really alone.

Aragorn had been acting very broody and quiet since that fateful night, at least more quiet that he usual was. Even Legolas couldn't tell if it was that the ranger had a lot to think about or he was just being stubborn about something.

Everyone still wondered the same thing now and then. For what reason did Abigail truly leave? Was there too much pressure with the release of her secrets? Was she scared or was she angry?

Legolas tried to pry the answer out of Aragorn, for the elf knew he was the last to speak with her. But Aragorn would not give any enlightenment to the subject.

However, unknown to all of them, there was a young servant girl who had been a witness. She had stayed quiet for the past few days, but now guilt was slowly eating her away.

"L-lady Éowyn?" Ryn called out nervously, entering her lady's bedchamber. It was the morning of the 4th day since that night.

Éowyn, already dressed for the day, came out of her washroom.

"Yes, Ryn, what is it?" she asked sweetly.

"Well, my lady…um, you see I…oh bother, I am going to be in so much trouble after this," Ryn rambled.

Éowyn was confused, but she took the young girl by the hands gently. "Whatever it is, Ryn, you can tell me. It will be alright," she said. Éowyn led the young girl to the bed and they both sat down.

"Now, what do you need to say?" Éowyn asked again.

"I helped mistress Abigail leave!" Ryn blurted out. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she continued to talk quickly, bowing her head. "She came to my room late at night, and she seemed so upset. At the time I thought I was just helping a friend but now I see it's caused trouble and I am really sorry!" The small girl jumped of the bed and did a deep curtsy of shame.

"Ryn, calm down," Éowyn ordered, shocked. She sighed at her handmaiden's trembling figure. "I am not angry, Ryn, I promise. Now, let us start over from the beginning. Slowly," she emphasized. "You said Abigail came to your room?"

The girl nodded. "Yes, my lady. She was clearly disturbed or upset about something, and asked if I could help her get ready for a journey. At first I assumed she was just going on some sort of mission." Ryn paused for a moment, remembering. "But when I asked for an explanation, all she said was she couldn't stay. That she wasn't welcomed. She said that there had to be something else she could do, another way." Ryn looked up. "Does that make any sense?"

"Maybe," Éowyn replied, brushing her fingers through her hair. "Thank you Ryn. You were thinking justly, in helping Abigail. But it's also good that you told me."

Ryn curtsied again. "You're welcome, and thank you as well for not getting mad. Please let me know if you need anything else."

Now Éowyn was left alone to think.

'Abigail did seem upset after she confessed to us, but not enough to run away. Something else could have happened later. Then again, even earlier that night, something was bothering her.' Éowyn thought back to the first real conversation she had with Abigail, the evening of the victory celebration.

_Flashback _

"_I saw you come out-I wanted to make sure you were alright," Éowyn explained._

"_I just needed to get away for a moment," Abigail said. "What King Théoden said…well, it was fitting, but it just brought back some memories."_

_Éowyn nodded. "I heard about your, um, father. I can understand why this night could be…awkward?" she ended, wondering if that was the right word._

"_Yes, awkward works," Abigail agreed. "I heard about your family as well. Perhaps you and I are similar in more than a few ways."_

"_Except I envy you," she cut in._

"_Why is that?" she asked._

"_You are able to go out in the world and battle for what's good. I must sit here a be the 'image' of what's good for a lady."_

"_I won't be the one to prevent you from fighting, if ever it happens," Abigail told her. "But I will say this, not all battles need to be fought with swords. I know you are grateful for what you have, and I do understand why you would want to fight, believe me I do. No one likes a cage."_

_ End Flashback_

'Perhaps I should talk council with the King. Or maybe lord Aragorn,' she thought hopefully. Éowyn still wondered if Aragorn had any feelings for her whatsoever. She had her Uncle's blessing to pursue her heart, but maybe it would be wiser to wait a little bit longer.  
With that in the back of her mind, Éowyn started to walk to the Golden Hall. Someone might have some insight into what Ryn said.

She walked out of the wooden corridor and into the back of the hall where she saw Éomer and Théoden leaned over a table, studying some maps.

She was about to announce her presence when, suddenly, the massive entrance doors thrown open and Aragorn rushed in.

"The beacons or Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit!" he shouted, a bit winded. "Gondor calls for aid."

Éowyn, abandoning thoughts of Abigail, rushed to her brother's side, and squeezed his hand softly. He looked back and gave her a light smile and a nod of recognition. Then they both looked to their king and uncle expectedly.

Théoden paused, but soon enough his mouth quirked slightly. "And Rohan will answer!" he proclaimed.

Éowyn sighed silently, relieved. Éomer showed the same signs of relief.

"Muster the Rohirrim!" Théoden ordered, rolling up the maps. "Assemble the men and Dunharrow. As many men as can be found," he continued to shout. "You have two days. On the third, we ride for Gondor and war. Gamling!"

"My lord," Gamling replied, instantly at his side.

"Make haste across the Riddermark. Summon every able-bodied man to Dunharrow."

Gamling nodded. "I will."

Théoden was striding out of the room, but he stopped for a moment.

"This time, we will make the move. Rohan will have revenge for its losses. I will not tolerate the ruin of this enemy any longer. With what power we have left, it will end," he finished decidedly. He then continued to leave the room with Hama soon following him out.

Aragorn half smirked and half smiled. He bowed quickly, more out of habit, then left to find Legolas, Gimli and Merry.

Éowyn and Éomer stared at each other for a minute.

"Do not despair, sister," Éomer finally spoke. "While this summons means war, it has also restored the pride and will of Rohan."

"Indeed, my will to fight is as strong as ever, yet none of you will see it," she replied sharply.

"Nay, I see your will, but I cannot allow you to act on it. I have promised to keep you safe. I would never forgive myself if you were injured." He kissed the side of her head tenderly, and then left.

"I know you mean well, brother. But my pride is injured every time you deny my will," Éowyn sighed. "Very well, I shall have to make my own plans."

Éowyn chuckled suddenly. "Abigail was right. She and I are similar, both with our own secrets," she whispered to herself as she walked away. "I remember your advice, Abigail…but I am not going to stop. And neither should you."

(A/N – There's a bit of Éowyn POV for you.)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail's eyes opened slowly and painfully. She took one breath and instantly felt nauseous. The air smelled like sulfur and death, there was no other way to explain in. She tried to move around, and as if the pain didn't make it hard enough, her hands and legs were also crudely bound.

'Orc knots…they look poor but hold tight,' she mused groggily. All her senses felt dulled, but her mind held a foreboding sense of evil.

There were no windows in her hard, damp and dank cell, but there was no doubt that she was somewhere within Mordor.

"This is really bad," she muttered. "Though that's pretty obvious. What happened to being the calm, sensible one in the group? Am I stubborn? Yes. Am I rash and idiotic? I wasn't until recently," she cursed herself and banged her head against the wall.

"Ow," she chided. "Stupid wraith with his stupid kidnapping dragon. Stupid me for thinking that plan wouldn't get me caught," she sighed, frustrated.

"She's already talkin' to 'erself," a gurgled voice came outside her door. "Usually takes more than a few days until they go mad."

Abigail recognized the aura as an orcs, but he seemed to be alone.

"That's all Sauron sends to guard me? I'm insulted," she smirked.

The door was thick, made out of wood, with a small barred window at the top. Still, the orc and the door were both solid objects, not huge obstacles for her powers.

With her mind she undid the ropes tying her down. She stood up, and felt dizzy for a moment, but it soon passed.

Abigail took a deep breath, and then focused her power on the door. It exploded from the hinges at a great force, knocking down the orc guard in the process.

She cautiously stepped out into the dark hallway, only dimly lit by some torches. She was truly surprised to find it otherwise bare.

'Really, only one guard? And they didn't even try to drug me or anything,' she thought confused. "With this display, I'm surprised they even had the wits to take my daggers. That's two sets of weapons he owes me." Suddenly energized with adrenaline, Abigail was surprised at her own calmness and jubilance.

Rubbing her bracelet for good luck, she slowly edged through the hallway, jumping at every shadow.

She had made it all the way to a set of stairs before she heard someone coming. She was about to hide, when suddenly a shot of pain through her side made her fall to her knees.

'No…the wraith's coming. The one that stabbed me' she thought, gasping. She tried to get up and run, but the pain increased with every step. Her wraith was coming closer.

Then, there was a sound of a metal boot right behind her.

"An escapee? I do not think so," it hissed. "Look at me when I speak to you wench!" It kicked her in the back, causing her to spin around.

"How can I look at a faceless monster like you," she said lowly.

The wraith ignored her. "You are in my territory now and I know how to put you in your place," it snarled. It reached out a gauntlet-covered hand and grabbed the place where her scar was.

She screamed in agony and could feel herself blacking out again.

"I warned you that your choice would be made for you. This is your destiny. Embrace it, or perish," it hissed one last time.

Next, all Abigail saw was darkness.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

She awoke again in the same cell, except this time she was locked in with chains. Also, her side was throbbing constantly in pain.

She looked up and noticed that the Nazgûl was in the cell with her.

"As much as I loathe being near you, it seems I am the one who can keep you at bay," it said with a harsh tone. "And I do relish the fact that I can control you."

"You-do not-control me!" she said, shakily.

Nonetheless, every time she tried to use her power or even move it would move closer to her and she would lose focus due to the pain.

"I do not know why you fight it. With that awesome display of power one would think you were trying to be found," it said.

Abigail blinked at its words. "So…so you really didn't know where I was before that?"

'I have been the queen of bad judgment lately,' she cursed herself.

"You would have the free will to use your gifts all the time if only you would join us and the dark lord. You would be free from the pain as well. Embrace the darkness and act as you were intended to act."

"As enticing as that sounds, I am afraid I must decline," she replied.

The wraith moved towards her and grabbed her arm. She only winced in pain, almost getting use to the feeling now.

"Sarcasm will get you nowhere, mortal. You know your purpose, and you cannot escape from this prison. You will benefit yourself if you succumb to the dark lord's will. Which should be your will too," it snarled.

"How many time's must I tell you? I make my own choices, and I have decided to fight against Sauron until I die," she shouted back.

It drew its sword and pointed it at her neck. "I could kill you right now, if you so desire it," the wraith threatened.

She smirked. "You could…but you won't."

Suddenly, the door opened and the wraith sheathed its sword.

The grotesque figure looked similar to a Nazgûl, with loose black robes and a partial hood. But this…thing, unlike the Nazgûl, did have a face, of sorts. All it really had was a mutated looking, large mouth with razor sharp and gangly teeth. The surrounding skin was gray and saggy.

She had enough memory to know this creature was named the Mouth of Sauron.

"How is our prisoner?" he asked, not truly caring. His voice was dark and tremulous, much like Sauron's should be.

"For her own sake, she better be in a talkative mood," the wraith replied.

'A talkative mood?' Abigail wondered nervously.

"You have been granted permission to stay, just in case she tries to pull anything clever," the 'Mouth' instructed.

"Yes, my lord," the wraith bowed.

'They work for that thing?' Abigail thought, amazed. 'Well, I suppose it is the closest thing they have to a real Sauron.'

The Mouth turned to her. "I do not have much patience for mortal scum like you," he growled. "Speak quickly and this can be painless. Where is the heir of Elendil?"

'Oh, this is interrogation time. That's what they meant by 'talkative,' she thought.

With what defiance she had left, Abigail put on a blank face and responded with, "Whom?"

"The heir of Elendil. Who is he and where can we locate him?" he repeated, angrily.

"Whom are you talking about? What's the heir of Elendil?" she feigned innocence.

"Do not play dumb!" the wraith commanded and drew its sword again.

"Do not cut her! You cannot risk her turning into a Nazgûl," the Mouth blocked the wraith off. "We do not know the consequences."

"I will not cut her," the wraith explained.

It came over to her and merely touched the sword to her scar, which caused more suffering than its hand ever did.

She writhed against the wall in pain. She was hoping she would lose consciousness again, but it pulled away before that moment came.

"I will ask another question," he continued. "Where is the Ring?"

"There are many rings, Sauron, you will have to narrow it down," she answered, bitter and sarcastic, her favorite combination.

The Mouth took his turn, and with a normal knife he cut her down the thigh.

She bit her tongue and closed her eyes, doing her best not to give them the satisfaction of another scream.

"Where is the One Ring?"

She looked up at him, her hair matted to half her face with sweat.

"I…don't…know," she replied slowly, breathing heavily.

'I may have abandoned the fellowship, but I'll be damned if I betray them,' she thought determinedly.

"Perhaps the answers lie within," the Mouth grinned creepily, showing off all of his awful teeth.

He reached out a sharp and rotten nail and touched it to her forward.

Immediately she felt him try to probe into her mind. At first it felt like only a scratch, but with each second it dove deeper and deeper driving her insane.

"Get out of my head!" she screamed and thrashed about.

The Mouth was not distracted, though, and he was getting closer to actually reaching her thoughts and information. Up until then he had only been digging through her mental barrier.

'One thing that I know will repel darkness is light,' she thought, gritting her teeth.

Summoning all her heart and will, she managed to say,

"_Pool of Earendil, shine for me bright. Give hope in darkness, give shadow a light!" _

Her bracelet cast a blinding light throughout the cell. Both the wraith and Mouth cried out with pain and the Mouth backed away from her quickly.

Abigail felt quite weak, but she managed to rebuild the barriers in her mind and, as always, the Pool of Earendil let her feel a brief moment of peace.

She leaned heavily against the jagged wall and closed her eyes. For the first time she wondered how long she had been here, and how long she could keep up the strength to defend her mind and body.

The Nazgûl and the Mouth of Sauron were speaking in dark, hushed tones.

"She is more powerful that we imagined, which would be good news if she wasn't using it against us," the Mouth concluded.

"I believe I can turn her. But to make a mind as strong as that evil I will need the power of the Nine," the wraith explained.

"The Witch King is still at Osgiliath. But if we act quickly it is possible to summon all of the Nazgûl," he agreed.

"With our combined efforts, I swear she will become whatever the dark lord requires," the wraith bowed.

"See that it happens, at this point we cannot let her be our enemy. She could be our greatest weapon next to the Ring." The Mouth turned back to Abigail. "Until then, we will repeat this little session later." Then he walked out.

The wraith left the room, but still stood guard outside her door, ready to administer pain at any given moment.

"Someone…help me," Abigail whispered in despair, a single, warm tear falling down her cheek.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I cut this off a bit short, but I don't have any more time left, so I will leave you here for now (at least it's something, right?)

Also, with that said, I really just was to get the chapter content posted, so I will not be doing individual thank you's. But, I thank all reviewers and readers a hundred times over, and I will do personal thank you's once I return.

My flight leaves in 10 hours, so I really need to get some sleep.

See you in two weeks!

-MysticNight9


	50. Final Message

Bonjour, my lovely readers! Extreme apologies for making you wait two weeks and then some. I was expecting my first week home to be all relaxing and stuff, but it turns out while I was gone all these things had been planned (which I needed to be part of), so I've been pretty busy. But, either way, I'm back now and excited to continue the story. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Je ne possed pas "Lord of the Rings." Rough translation - I DON'T OWN LORD OF THE RINGS.

Chapter 49 Recap:

"With our combined efforts, I swear she will become whatever the dark lord requires," the wraith bowed.

"See that it happens, at this point we cannot let her be our enemy. She could be our greatest weapon next to the Ring." The Mouth turned back to Abigail. "Until then, we will repeat this little session later." Then he walked out.

The wraith left the room, but still stood guard outside her door, ready to administer pain at any given moment.

"Someone…help me," Abigail whispered in despair, a single, warm tear falling down her cheek.

Chapter 50:

The ride to Dunharrow was fairly easy and quiet. The anxiousness of battle had not yet settled into the Rohirrim, but all knew the fateful day was coming.

Anxiousness did not spare Aragorn. Every step closer to Gondor he felt the growing weight.

'Is the pressure of my responsibility's finally getting to me?' he wondered. He thought back to what Éowyn told him the day they left Edoras.

"_The men have found their captain. They will follow you into battle, even to death. You have given us hope."_

'Hope. Estel. That would be my name, wouldn't it?' Aragorn thought, almost scoffing.

He didn't understand why he was looked upon in such an honored way. These men had a king, and they had already had Éomer as their captain. Aragorn was practically a stranger still.

'_But you're a king too, if you would let them see,'_ his conscience rattled him.

Suddenly, Aragorn was snapped out of his thoughts as the bustling sounds of a campsite came to his attention. They had reached Dunharrow. Currently they were only in a green pasture, but the looming cliff side lay just ahead.

Soldiers were bustling here and there, making food, shelter, packing or working on weapons. These were the final preparations.

Aragorn urged Brego, his horse, into a faster walk until he was closer to Théoden's side.

"Grimbold how many?" the king cried out.

"I bring 500 men from the Westfold, my lord," replied an armored man.

"We have 300 more from Fenmarch, Théoden King," another soldier responded.

"Where are the riders from Snowbourn?" Théoden asked, observing the campsite and its occupants.

"None have come, my lord," the soldier said regretfully.

Théoden frowned slightly for a moment, but soon hid it.

"Very well," he said, "We camp atop the Dunharrow. I will expect a full report later today."

"Yes, my lord. Hail, Théoden King!" The men bowed, and then left.

"Legions are failing to even show up. This is not a good sign," Legolas whispered to Aragorn.

"I know," Aragorn answered simply. He said nothing more as they rode back of forth slowly up the side of the cliff.

When they reached the top and were set up for the night, Aragorn went to go talk to Théoden, who standing at the edge, looking down.

"Six-thousand spears, less than half of what I'd hoped for," he said, somewhat dismayed.

"Six-thousand will not be enough to break the lines of Mordor," Aragorn replied, matching the sullen tone.

Théoden suddenly smiled hopefully. "More will come, give it time." He turned away but Aragorn stopped him gently.

"I am sorry to say we do not have the luxury of much time, my lord. Every hour lost hastens Gondor's defeat. We have till dawn, then we must ride," Aragorn stressed.

There was a second of silence.

"Yes, I will agree with you," Théoden said slowly, and then walked to his tent.

Aragorn peered down again at the sea of tents in the ravine.

'A small sea,' he mused, 'but a trickle of help, nonetheless.'

Behind him, the ranger noticed the panicked neigh of the horses. He walked over to see what was happening.

"The horses are restless and the men are quiet," Legolas observed, trying to calm down one of the rearing horses.

"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain," Éomer said darkly.

Gimli came over quietly. "That rode there. Where does that lead?" the dwarf asked.

He was pointing to a clouded crack in the mountain. But as you looked closer the crack turned into a long, narrow path. The path was leading somewhere, but at the same time it disappeared into nowhere.

"It is the rode to the Dimholt," Legolas spoke cautiously. "The door under the mountain."

"None who venture there ever return. That mountain is evil," Éomer nodded.

"Then whose brilliant idea was it to make a campsite here," Gimli muttered.

Aragorn watched the Dimholt road from the back. He was about to look away when something caught his eye. At first he thought is was his mind playing tricks on him, but as he looked harder he saw some thin, almost green smoke form into faces. No, it was a skeleton, and it was smiling right at him.

His breath was caught in his throat, and suddenly he was reminded of Gandalf's words.

_ Flashback _

"_Do you wish to explain your troubles to an old man?"_

_Aragorn sighed. "I have many troubles, all which I could share with you."_

"_Pick one, to start with," Gandalf said simply, and took a seat at a table._

_Aragorn remained standing. "You said Sauron knows the 'Heir of Elendil' has returned. But I am still uncertain if I accept that title."_

"_The title does not matter, Aragorn. The true fact is that you will be a leader of men in these final days. Whether you want the title or not, you are an inspiration and I believe you are most ready for this task."_

"_If what you say is true, should I not ride with you to Minas Tirith?"_

"_No," Gandalf said strongly, shaking his head. "You must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river and look to the black ships."_

_ End Flashback _

"Follow the river…" Aragorn muttered to himself.

He tried to picture a map of Middle Earth from his studies. The closest river he knew of was the River Entwash, which ran through much of Rohan.

'But they're would be no black ships on Entwash. And any other rivers would be…on the other side of the mountain.'

Aragorn stared again at the Dimholt. The green smoke was gone, and now he was filled with wonder. He took a step forward-

"Aragorn!" He was interrupted. He looked quickly and saw Gimli standing in front of him.

"Let's find some food," the dwarf grumbled.

Aragorn, deciding he could think more later, followed.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail, worn-out and battered, was still chained to the wall in what she just called the dungeon.

The interrogation sessions had continued, as promised by The Mouth of Sauron. Her will to not speak and betray the fellowship continued. She didn't know if it was because of her determination, or just plain stubbornness.

Thankfully, The Mouth hadn't tried to probe her mind again, but she also remembered that they were going to try to turn her to the darkness, and her mind was the only defense she had.

Though, with almost no food, sleep and only small amounts of Mordor's pathetic excuse for water, her mind was weakening.

The morning felt like any other. The windowless cell was cold and dirty. But soon she noticed the absence of a usual presence. Her Nazgûl guard, who she now assumed to be of a general ranking, was missing. Instead, standing before her, was the Mouth of Sauron.

"Well, you're here earlier than usual. To what do I owe the pleasure?" she said hoarsely.

The Mouth gave her a hellish grin. "The pleasure is mine, my lady. I bring good tidings."

"Since when do you call me my lady? And I doubt there are any good tidings in this pit of despair," she countered.

"Pit of despair…how fitting," the Mouth continued to smile. "And I decided the soon to be 'Lady of Darkness' deserved some respect."

"L-lady of Darkness?" she stuttered. "What are you talking about?"

"The Nine are assembled and the judgment day for man is approaching. It is time you fulfilled your purpose," he said.

"No," Abigail whispered. "No! I will not become Sauron's pawn!" she shouted forcefully.

In a panic she tried to throw the Mouth back with her power, but he muttered and incantation and suddenly, her own force was thrown back at her.

Her back slammed against the wall.

'It's not possible. Only I control my power,' she thought, worried and pale.

"I've told you time and time again, this is not your choice. You underestimate the dark magic. Even a powers such as yours can be tamed by the mighty lord Sauron."

"My lord," a goblin stepped in, bowing lowly. "The Witch-King requests a word with you."

The Mouth began to leave, but turned around to her for a moment.

"Enjoy your last moment of this pitiful life. Soon, a new day dawns for you, and you will never be the same."

And with that, he left, slamming the door behind him.

"Is this really it? This is where Abigail dies and their 'Lady of Darkness' is born?" she said softly.

She needed to do something, anything.

There was something Abigail has always wanted to try, a theory of hers.

Obviously, her mind was more powerful than your average human. And all she had ever used that power for was telekinesis. But, what if her mind could perform another power.

She had always wondered if she was capable of telepathy as well. This was going to be her last chance to try.

There was only one person she wanted to contact, and she hoped her would listen.

Attempting to stay as calm as possible, Abigail breathed in and out slowly and focused all her thoughts on one name.

"_Aragorn."_

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

And yes, I'm stopping here for now. This chapter isn't over, and I plan to write more. But in about 15 minutes, I'm leaving for camp. I'll only be gone for a week, but I need to think a lot about this story.

I'm sorry, I know this is very poor planning, but I tried writing this chapter a couple times and this is all I've got. I'll try to finish this chapter (by hand) while I'm gone and I'll type and post immediately upon my return.

I have nothing else planned for the rest of the summer, and there is only about 10 chapters (maybe less) remaining. This story will be finished soon.

I don't blame you if you're all angry right now. I've been a really bad author lately. But when I'm finally home for good I'll be able to focus and finish this all up.

I'll see you in 6 days, and I beg you all to be patients and understanding.

Until next time.

-MysticNight9


	51. Final Farewell

I'm sorry for another stupid delay. I feel horribly guilty, but my life was very 'ugh' the past couple weeks. I won't explain much further than that.

I decided to make a new chapter, instead of just adding on to chapter 50. I think it's a bit easier this way.

I was also in such a rush last time I didn't get to thank reviewers, but today I will be starting my personal thank yous again and hopefully I get all questions and comments from the past few chapters answered.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 50 Recap:

Aragorn stared again at the Dimholt. The green smoke was gone, and now he was filled with wonder. He took a step forward-

"Aragorn!" He was interrupted. He looked quickly and saw Gimli standing in front of him.

"Let's find some food," the dwarf grumbled.

Aragorn, deciding he could think more on it later, followed.

Recap #2:

She had always wondered if she was capable of telepathy as well. This was going to be her last chance to try.

There was only one person she wanted to contact, and she hoped her would listen.

Attempting to stay as calm as possible, Abigail breathed in and out slowly and focused all her thoughts on one name.

"_Aragorn."_

Chapter 51:

Aragorn walked by the Dimholt pass many times that evening, and each time he paused to look at it a little longer.

He felt something drawing him in there, but he debated whether it was intuition, curiosity or insanity that was calling him.

Soon enough, maybe too soon, it was late night and Aragorn went to his tent for some sleep, under the cold shadow of the mountain.

_ Dream Verse _

_As if rolled in by a mist, Aragorn suddenly appeared on the stone bridge in Rivendell's Garden of Twilight._

"_This is a familiar scene," he whispered to himself._

"_It always was a fitting place to say goodbye," an airy voice said. "Do you not agree?" _

_Arwen came onto the bridge in front of him, dressed in a dark gold gown with a silver robe._

"_Another dream?" Aragorn asked her._

_Arwen lightly shook her head. "No…a final farewell," she replied softly._

"_Farewell?" Aragorn echoed, stunned. "You pick now of all times to come and say goodbye?"_

"_I was tired of prolonging the unavoidable," she sighed. " Is this not what you wanted when you left me before?"_

"_Well, yes, but-"_

"_Is this still what you want?" she interrupted. _

_Aragorn was frozen to the spot. "I-I don't know, Arwen. Things have become complicated, my thoughts are different." _

_He ran a tense hand through his messy hair._

_She smiled sadly, in spite of herself. "Your thoughts on us are the same, it is only your thoughts for another that have changed."_

"_Must you always be so cryptic," he said, exasperated. "Stop telling and asking me about how I feel. There are two of us here with an opinion."_

_She outstretched a gentle hand. "Come, walk with me. Please."_

_Aragorn went to her side without hesitation, and they walked around the lush forest of herbs and flowers. It was daytime here, and the sun sparkled brilliantly through the spaces._

"_Arwen, please, tell me why you brought me here," Aragorn pleaded. _

"_I have already told you, Aragorn, I am here to say goodbye."_

_The words were still shocking to hear for Aragorn, and hard to say for Arwen. Nonetheless, there was little regret in her voice._

"_If…if that is your choice I am in no position to object," Aragorn decided slowly. "But I must know why? What happened?"_

_To himself, he thought, 'Why does this news not cause as much pain as I expected? Is she not my love?'_

_The pair stopped at a beautifully carved bench and sat down._

_Arwen seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before she spoke._

"_Aragorn, if I went to the Gray Havens, what would you think?"_

_He paused, considering the weight of his answer. "I believe it would be your chance for another life, a better life. One full of love and light, protected from war, grief…despair."_

"_It sounds almost perfect," she commented dreamily. "But," she turned more somber, "it would be a life away from you."_

_Aragorn stroked her cheek simply. "I am your first love, sweet Arwen." He dropped his hand gently. "But I would not be your last."_

"_And I would not be yours," she held his hand in her lap. "No matter what fears you have told me, I have seen life in your future. This is why I come to you now. There is hope in your future, even if I am not in it."_

"_Just because that is a possibility it does not mean you have to go," he argued softly._

_She smiled at him. "I know. But this is for the better. You tried to tell me before, and now I see the truth in it. You are mortal, and I am elf-kind. It was our dream, and now this is our bittersweet ending."_

_She released his hand and stood up, walking over to a small overlook of the stream below._

"_Besides," she continued, "A dream that comes true, isn't really a dream anymore, is it? We will end it now, with the wonderful memories that we have, but we can't pursue this any further."_

"_You sound like Elrond," Aragorn told her lightly._

"_I am more like my father than even I give myself credit for," she said, giving one small laugh. _

_Aragorn finally stood up, and stood a small ways away from her._

"_If my future is not with you, then who is it with?" he mused out loud._

"_That is your decision," she said simply. _

"_I am not certain of anything right now, Arwen. My heart and mind are telling me so many different things. Whom should I turn to?"_

"_If you cannot turn to others, than you leave yourself no choice but to look within yourself. Now is the time to accept you past and look towards the king inside you," Arwen said, with much determination. _

_Aragorn gave her a sideways glance. "You always had so much faith in my bloodline."_

"_Because I know it will allow you to accomplish great things," she answered wisely. But she grinned suddenly. "However, as a parting gift, I send my own kin with a mighty gift which hopefully will give you an advantage in this last stand."_

"_What sort of gift?" he asked, full of curiosity. _

"_It is a surprise," she laughed slightly._

_Aragorn ended up smiling as well. But he felt a small tug at the back of his heart, and he stiffened slightly._

_Arwen noticed this. "Our time has ended," she nodded slowly. "Thank you for letting me say goodbye, Aragorn," she said, tears welling up in her eyes._

"_I still don't quite understand what changed…" he started, but she cut him off._

"_There is no need to explain. I feel ready to leave now. You have given me so much, Aragorn, but deep in my heart, I know this is the way it is suppose to be."_

_She was crying freely now, but she still wasn't sorry._

_Aragorn embraced her tightly, one last time._

"_I will never forget you Arwen," he said softly, stroking her hair._

_They broke apart and she hastily wiped her tears with her sleeves._

_Aragorn was about to leave, but then he stopped suddenly. Slowly, he raised his hands and took of the Evenstar._

_He carefully placed it around Arwen's neck._

"_Give this to the honorable man who gets the gift of your love," he instructed._

_She nodded, and he gently kissed her on the forehead._

"_Namárië," Aragorn whispered. "And thank you."_

_And as he walked away his body slowly faded into thin air._

"_Good luck, Estel," she said tearfully._

_Arwen slowly made her way through the gardens, silently observing every beauty._

'_This was good,' she thought contently, drying the last of her tears. 'I will board the grey ships, and sail freely with a happy heart, knowing things are as they should be.'_

_She took of the gray cloak, idly tossing it to the ground. Despite the cold breeze, Arwen felt delightfully warm._

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_Hold on to me love_

_You know I can't stay long_

_All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid_

_Can you hear me?_

_Can you feel me in your arms?_

_Aragorn had expected to wake up in his tent, but instead, next time he opened his eyes he was in an empty place with dim shadows being the only proof that there was some sort of light._

_Suddenly, he heard his name being called, the low sound being carried by the wind._

_Then, the location started to become clear. Aragorn cautiously looked around and finally realized he was in a dark, dead forest. Almost the opposite of the cheery garden he had just been in._

_The mournful voice continued to call his name, until he answered._

"_Who's there?" he shouted. His voice resonated off the hollow trees._

"_Aragorn, you came," a steady voice replied._

_He turned around rapidly and was surprised to see a woman slouched uncomfortably on one of the dead stumps._

_He took a closer look at this woman, and then gasped._

"_Abigail?" he asked, amazed._

"_I'm as close to Abigail as you're going to get," she said sadly. "I'm making a mental projection of myself so you actually have a thing to talk to." _

"_You couldn't have pictured a more hospitable location for us to talk in?" he asked, only half joking._

_She gave a strangled laugh. "This place reflects my current state of mind, and if you haven't noticed, it's not good."_

_Abigail had managed to picture herself in her clothes (thank Valar), but they were in a horrible state, very thin and tattered. Her hair was a raggedy and her face was a dirty mess._

"_And…where are you in reality?" Aragorn asked, fearing the answer._

"_I'll give you three guesses, but you'll only need one." Abigail managed some sarcasm. She shakily stood up off the ground to face him fully._

_Aragorn sighed. "You're in Mordor, aren't you?"_

"_Yes," she said, staring at her feet._

"_Abigail, that night in the Golden Hall, Gandalf told me something. That you're being in Middle Earth has something to do with Saruman, maybe even Sauron."_

_She paled at these words._

'_I should have realized Gandalf would have figured it out by himself,' she chided herself._

"_Did you know that you were a target?" Aragorn continued, his voice wavering, most likely with anger._

"_Yes," she whispered. That was the only word she could say._

_Aragorn couldn't believe what he was hearing. "And you still had the audacity to pack up and leave in the middle of the night? Without any warning to any of us?" he shouted._

"_Look, lots of things went wrong that night! I was rash and idiotic and…well…it seems now I've paid the price," she finished quietly. _

"_Can you at least comprehend the danger you're in right now?" he said bitterly._

"_Oh believe me I do," she muttered pacing. "I am in the worst of all possible bad situations."_

_She looked up. "And before you say it, I realize I have no one to blame but myself. I'm sorry," she huffed._

_Aragorn calmed down a little and started over. He stepped towards her so he was by her side._

"_Abigail, if you really are in Mordor, why are you talking to me? Would Gandalf not be the most help to you right now?"_

"_I know Gandalf is busy in Minas Tirith-"_

"_How do you know that?" he asked, surprised._

"_It's in that blasted book, which I'm starting to wish I'd never heard of," she said irritably._

'_That's not true,' she thought. 'It could be partially thanks to that book that I was able to come to Middle Earth and meet Aragorn,' she sighed inwardly. 'I should stop thinking like that. Thanks to our last conversation, it's safe to say I'll never be with him.'_

"_Abigail, you were saying?" Aragorn interrupted her thoughts._

_She breathed in sharply. "Oh, right. The point is that Gandalf is very hard to reach. And at this time I'm beyond any help. I only come to you now with a warning," she explained. _

"_What manner of warning?" he eyed her suspiciously._

_There was a moment of silence, as Abby tried to decide how she should explain this. _

"_The next time you see me, I won't be myself," she said slowly. "I-I've tried to stay strong but my time is running out. Next time we meet will be on the battlefield."_

_She stopped walking and looked around fearfully._

"_What is it?" he asked, on alert as well._

"_They're coming for me…in the real world," she said, trembling. "I don't' have much time."_

_She grabbed his arm and looked him in the eyes._

"_I know I was wrong to keep those secrets, and some of my actions were misguided, but I need you to trust me now. No matter what I say or look like next time we meet, I'm still there."_

"_What are you talking about? I don't understand." Aragorn was becoming nervous with the increasing panic in Abigail's voice. _

"_Just, remember the Abigail from the fellowship. How I was in Rivendell or Lorien. That's who I am."_

_Aragorn didn't know what to say. Abigail hardly made any sense and she was talking so fast._

_Abigail eyes suddenly went wide. "They're here for me."_

"_Whose they-" he started to ask, still very confused, but Abigail cut him off with a hug._

"_I deserved all those thing you said to me at Edoras," she whispered, her voice failing as she still clung on to him tightly. "I understand if you break your promise and hate me."_

_Aragorn was stunned. "Abigail," he said softly, instinctively pulling her even closer._

"_I would rather die than hurt the fellowship or you," she said. Those were her final words._

_ End of BOTH Dream Verses _

Aragorn woke with a frightful start and immediately pulled out his knife at the intruder.

As soon as he saw it was just a soldier he quickly lowered his weapon.

"My lord? Kind Théoden requests your presence at his tent." The man then bowed and left.

Aragorn let out the breath he had accidentally been holding in. He regained his composure and then stood up to put a vest over his night tunic.

As he was dressing he casually brushed his arm over his chest and realized something was missing. The Evanstar was truly gone.

"Those were no ordinary dreams," he said to himself. "Arwen will soon be gone…and Abigail is in Mordor."

For a second he thought he could still feel Abigail's embrace.

'I am even more lost now,' he sighed.

Aragorn would have liked to consult with Gandalf, or maybe Legolas right now, but he couldn't ignore Théoden's request.

He finished buttoning the vest, and in a daze Aragorn left his tent.

_Holding my last breath_

_Safe inside myself_

_Are all my thoughts of you_

_Sweet raptured light it ends here tonight_

(A/N – Song bits are from My Last Breath by Evanescence)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The camp was fairly quiet as Aragorn walked towards Théoden's tent. It was a cloudy night, so only the torches stalked throughout the site offered some light.

Soon enough, Aragorn found the Kings tent and walked in; only to find Théoden facing two darkly cloaked figures. Figuring he was the intruder, Aragorn started to walk out again, but Théoden stopped him.

"No, Aragorn, you will stay. This is where I take my leave," Théoden explained.

Aragorn looked puzzled, but let the king do as he wished.

When they were alone the mysterious men spoke.

"We come on behalf," one started.

"Of those we love," the other finished.

Simultaneously, they removed their hoods.

Aragorn dropped his jaw in surprise. "Elrohir? Elladan?"

"Hello, little Estel," Elladan smiled.

"Long time, no see," Elrohir agreed, patting Aragorn on the back.

At first glance, the elvish twins looked practically identical…but after living with them Aragorn had come to learn their differences (inside and outside). Both had their father's straight, dark brown hair but Elrohir's eyes were a lighter shade of blue than Elladan's. Also, Elladan was slightly taller. In addition, Elladan tended to be the more serious of the two (and his expression often showed it), while Elrohir loved to make people laugh, but both brothers were very spirited at heart (unlike their strict father).

"I was quite looking forward to surprising you. Did we succeed?" Elrohir grinned.

Aragorn nodded. "Indeed, you did. Though your appearance is most welcome by me. It has been a long time since I last saw you."

"Yes, we were truly disappointed to miss the fellowship meeting. Elrohir and I were doing a small scout toward the mountain territory, looking for stray goblins," Elladan said. "I don't think Father's retelling is actually as interesting as the real thing." He shook his head slightly. "It's hard to imagine that the one ring was in the hands of a hobbit all this time."

"It was shocking for me at first, as well, but now I can't think of a more trustworthy creature to hold it," Aragorn said seriously.

The twins nodded their understanding.

"Now, I highly doubt that the sons of Elrond were just strolling through Rohan. What business do you have with me?" Aragorn asked.

"We come all this way and all you can think about is business," Elrohir said feigning hurt. "But I suppose you're right."

Elladan rolled his eyes slightly at his brother. "To start with, we bring a message from our father, Lord Elrond. He says he has seen the future…and the end has come."

Aragorn looked surprised at first, but then he narrowed his eyes with determination.

"It will not be our end, only Sauron's," he stated confidently.

Elladan shook his head lightly as he continued the message. "You ride to war, but not to victory. Sauron's armies march on Minas Tirith, this you know. But in secret he sends another force which will attack from the river."

Aragorn raised his head when he heard river. 'Gandalf's message…' he thought.

"From the river comes a fleet of Corsair ships from the south. They'll be in the City in two days," Elladan said urgently. "You are outnumbered, Aragorn, you need more men."

"You think I can not see this for myself? If we had the weeks to wait for men, we would. But we don't have the time are there are no men left," Aragorn explained vehemently.

Elrohir stepped forward. "There are those who dwell in the mountains," he said slowly, his mouth quirking.

An ominous breeze shook the tent.

Aragorn furrowed his brows. "Murders…traitors! You would call upon _them_ to fight?" he asked, outraged. "They believe in nothing, they answer to no one!"

Elrohir grinned excitedly, as if he had been wanting for this moment.

"They will answer to the King of Gondor!"

Elrohir swept his had behind his cloak and swiftly pulled out a long, graceful sheath with the delicate hilt of a sword sticking out. The elf took a knee and held it out to Aragorn.

"Andúril, Flame of the West, forged by the shards of Narsil," he explained proudly.

Aragorn was in awe. With steady hand he carefully took the sword from Elrohir. Aragorn could barely comprehend the moment.

Suddenly, in a quick move, Aragorn drew the sword straight in the air, eyeing the blade up to the very tip.

"Sauron will not have forgotten the Sword of Elendil," he whispered, amazed. "The blade that was broken shall return to Minas Tirith."

Elladan stepped forward again and looked Aragorn in the eyes.

"The man who can wield the power of this sword can summon to him an army more deadly than any that walks this earth," he emphasized. Aragorn continued to admire Andúril. "How…who would think to reforge the sword?" he asked them.

Elrohir smiled. "That would be the genius that is our dear sister."

Aragorn glanced up. "Arwen…" he trailed off, remembering what she had said.

"_As a parting gift, I send my own kin with a mighty gift which hopefully will give you an advantage in this last stand."_

"Arwen," Aragorn spoke again, louder. "What is going to happen to her?"

The twins eyed each other warily.

Aragorn managed a soft chuckle. "You can be at ease. Arwen and I have made our own peace…and our own goodbye."

The two elves visibly relaxed.

"Father has already arranged a ship for her…one of the last ships, another one won't come for a while," Elrohir sighed, sadly. "She will probably be gone before we come back."

"Where are you going?" Aragorn asked as he sheathed the sword with the same amount of carefulness.

"That is what we were discussing with Kind Théoden before you came in," Elladan said. "We will stay with him, and fight alongside the Rohirrim."

"There are still two elves in Middle Earth who are here to fight, just like the good, old days," Elrohir grinned mischievously as he lightly fingered his daggers.

"I fear you are too anxious, Elrohir," Elladan shook his head, but then turned towards Aragorn. "I wish we had more time to discuss, but as you said we can no longer wait. You must put aside the ranger and become who you were born to be."

Elladan placed his hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Take the Dimholt road and get your men."

Aragorn nodded, decided, as he strapped the sword to his belt.

"_Ónen i-Estel Edain_," Elrohir quoted, gently grabbing Aragorns other shoulder. (I give hope to Men.)

"_Ú-chebin estel anim_," Aragorn replied. (I keep none for myself)

The three shared a short goodbye, before Aragorn nodded and left the tent.

Elrohir stared at the spot where the ranger had just stood.

"_Is he ready for this, brother?_" he asked, honestly.

Elladan was about to exit the tent, but he looked back at his twin. "_He was prepared for this from the first moment we met him…maybe even before_." Elladan then stepped outside.

Elrohir nodded in agreement, and then followed his brother out.

'_Nai Anar caluva tielyanna_,' he thought. 'May the sun shine on your path…even if you are surrounded by darkness.'

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Pippin wandered the levels of Minas Tirith, hoping to find a moment of peace before the approaching battle. At the same time he was also half-heartedly searching for Gandalf, but the wizard always seems to come to him, somehow.

Pippin had hurriedly walked past several building, but after passing a certain one he backed up. Maybe it was the smell of it. He peered inside.

'Just as I thought, a stable,' he said to himself. He was about to walk out again, when something caught his eye.

He walked in a bit further.

"Peregrin Took," Gandalf came in suddenly. "In this bustling city full of Men I don't know how you expect me to always find a small hobbit such as yourself."

"Gandalf," Pippin said, not really listening. "Is it just me…or is this horse familiar?"

"Pippin, we don't have time to talk about…" he trailed off, getting a good look at the horse himself.

It was a strikingly black male horse, save for the equally striking white star on his forehead.

"It's her horse," Pippin whispered. "Abigail's horse! Verya…Ver-yu-ter, or something like that!" he exclaimed (struggling with the elvish name).

"You there!" Gandalf called to a stable boy. "Where did you get this horse? Quickly, please."

The stable boy glanced up. "Oh, him? He's just a stray we found outside the plains, walking around the forest. Took a while to calm him down, let me tell you. He was very insistent on not coming with us."

Gandalf sighed, disappointed. "Just a stray then…no rider."

The boy shrugged. "No rider…but now that you mention it, he was packed up for a long journey, still even had a bridle on him. And if you ask me, the horse seemed like he was _looking_ for someone…if you can believe that sort of thing." Then the boy turned back to the saddle he was mending.

"This is Abigail's horse," Pippin insisted. "But where's Abby?" he pouted.

"I do not know Pippin," Gandalf cast a forlorn look. "But I fear we will find out soon."

OoOoOoOoOo

I know I'm late, but at least I wrote a nice long chapter for you. And now, I have many, many reviews to catch up on.

Thanks to Reviews on Chapter 48:

Samantha-Girl Scout: You really should stop encouraging Izzy. Thanks for the review!

KeeperMusicNight: Yes, Abigail's only human and she made a stupid mistake. It's kind of a farfetched mistake, but it was for the sake of the story. And yes, ain't foreshadowing the best? Thanks!

ArwenEvenstar83: Yeah, the song had worked out better in my head. I think I fixed that, and if not I'm going to. 'Dark History' would be referring to the whole part about how Saruman was her 'bringer'. No worries, I love sarcasm too. Oh, and remember her powers don't work on the Nazgûl because of the whole living dead situation. Thanks!

Valinor's Twilight: Thanks for happy thoughts, and not I'm not from Michigan. Good guess, though!

CrystalMind: Yeah, there's a no preference option, but as you can see I decided the twins would be a nice touch. Thanks for reviews and wishing my muse good health (she needs it!).

Nightskylover: If you're disappointed, don't worry, because we will see Elrond again before the end of the story. Thank you!

Dragonfly Dancer: Hello and welcome reviewer! I'm glad you 'love' my story! I have a brilliant imagination? (blush) Thanks a lot!

Narnian Sprite: Ugh, writing by hand seems so old-fashioned (lol). And the evil cliffies keep on coming. Thanks!

Calculator15: Wow, thanks for the great compliments, you flatter me so! Glad you kept reading and reviewing!

Daughter of Zion: I hope your trip was fun! It seems the Mordor twist caught a few of you by surprise, which is fun for me! Thanks!

writin4fun15: Sorry, an Author can't reveal her master plan! Thanks for the good luck and the kudos!

Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: Yeah, if stress were in a physical form, I would very much like to kill it. Thank you!

Okay, now thanks for Reviews for Chapter 49:

Samantha-Girl Scout: I must hypnotize Izzy to STOP listening to you…it causes me pain. (Izzy: You better believe it. Yahoo!). Thanks!

Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: Lol, your twin wish was added. Yeah, I think a lot of people don't add the rangers, which I think is fine. It was brilliant when J.R.R. Tolkien wrote it, but if I tried I think it would just make a mess, too confusing. Anyway, thank you!

ArwenEvenstar83: When Eowyn said Abby shouldn't stop, she was just saying don't give up (the general assumption is that since Abigail left, she gave up). I guess it was kind of a weird way to word it. Don't worry the Nazgûl will die…eventually. Ha, thanks for reviews!

Estel Ashlee Snape: Welcome to the review corner! I hate it when computers don't work, I lose a bit of faith each time. Lol, thanks and review again, please!

writin4fun15: Not much needed to be said except many thanks for the kudos!

Valinor's Twilight: Short, sweet and to the point. Thank you!

Narnian Sprite: You know, if we add up all the times I've been called evil, I'm probably rivaling Sauron in evilness right now. Lol, thanks a lot!

Childofthekng: Hello reviewer! Yeah, the problems for Abigail have only begun (cue evil music). Ooh, you even stuck come elvish in the review, nice! Thanks!

And finally, thank you to the Reviewers on Chapter 50:

Lady Galriee: Sorry you had to wait so long, but thanks for reviewing!

ArwenEvenstar83: Well, in the moving I thought it was more of a smile, but a freaky/evil smile at that. And she couldn't call Gandalf for the reason you answered, he's too preoccupied with the battle at Gondor. And Galadriel is half a country away, so she's not much help either (in the short run). Anyway, thank you!"

three moons: Welcome to the review corner! Hey, no shame if you actually end up being mad at a cliffy. I know I get pissed enough at cliffy's that I want to throw my computer out the window…but usually I show marvelous self-restraint (lol). Thanks, and I hope you review again!

Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: Yeah, I was trying to work hard, but it just didn't come out for a while. Oh, and I see you know a bit of French yourself. Anyway, thank you!

Valinor's Twilight: As always, thanks for the review! Even two words are fantastic, as long as I know you're reading!

writin4fun15: Yeah, it wasn't the best place to stop, but I was out of creativity and out of time. Thanks for the suitcase…of kudos!

Narnian Sprite: Sometimes, it is a love/hate relationship. But notice love is still there! Just kidding, thank you!

Estel Ashlee Snape: Well, her theory worked, but I can't promise the 2nd thing…bwahaha (that's an evil laugh, in case you couldn't tell). Thanks!

Chapter 52 is a difficult chapter. I think either I'll do a good job, or a really crappy job with it. I'm not positive when it'll come out, but since I am finally done with camps I will shoot for posting in the next week.

Until next time, thanks for your patience!

-MysticNight9


	52. Time is of the Essence

School starts tomorrow. That's a very depressing headliner to write, because it means two things. One, the fact that school starts tomorrow and two; I did not meet my goal of finishing this story by the end of summer. It's funny how my updates were so much better when school was keeping me busy. I thought all the free time I had in the summer would let me write more, but it turns out it's very hard to focus during the mind-set of summer vacation.

At any rate, I've finally started to gather my thoughts again, and I am ready to write and wrap up this bad boy! Yahoo!

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN Lord of the Rings. That'll be all for now…

**Chapter 51 Recap:**

"_Is he ready for this, brother?_" he asked, honestly.

Elladan was about to exit the tent, but he looked back at his twin. "_He was prepared for this from the first moment we met him…maybe even before_." Elladan then stepped outside.

Elrohir nodded in agreement, and then followed his brother out.

'_Nai Anar caluva tielyanna_,' he thought. 'May the sun shine on your path…even if you are surrounded by darkness.'

**Recap # 2**

"This is Abigail's horse," Pippin insisted. "But where's Abby?" he pouted.

"I do not know Pippin," Gandalf cast a forlorn look. "But I fear we will find out soon."

**Chapter 52:**

The Mouth of Sauron was circling them like a hawk looking for its prey.

"Are you positive it is complete?" he asked harshly. "We have no room for mistakes."

"My lord, we have used our powers well. It is exactly as you commanded," the Witch King bowed. "You can inspect yourself, if you wish it," he said, moving to the side and letting his superior through.

The Mouth brushed past him roughly, and marched right up to the face of his victim.

She did not even flinch; only look ahead with blank, but dark, eyes.

"Whom do you serve?" he questioned, not for one moment trusting the wench.

There was a pause, and for a split second he was sure the Nazgûl had failed.

But before he could punish them, her low, almost monotone voice spoke.

"**_Za dash-u snak-u Zigur, Durbgu nazg-shu, Durbgu dash-shu_**," she answered, unwavering.

He turned back to her with a malicious grin. "Very good, my dear."

(A/N – The only phrase in the Black Speech that I know, thanks to 'Council of Elrond' website. The rough translation is _Hail to the master of earth Sauron, Ruler of the ring, Ruler of the earth_.)

The Mouth outstretched a gangly finger. "Now, perhaps you will be more reasonable this time."

He touched the sharp nail to her forehead, trying to pry information again. But soon enough he released his touch with a gasp.

"Insolent girl!" he scolded, slapping her across the face. She willingly took the blow, and merely stood up straight again when he was finished.

"My lord, is there a problem?" a wraith asked.

He glared at them. "By turning her dark you have given her back her strength. Whether she realizes it or not, there are still certain places in her mind with powerful barriers that I can still not breach. I can not find the information I want!" he hissed angrily.

Suddenly he paused, looking thoughtful. "However, your efforts were not completely wasted. We only have to focus her hate on the right target, and she will fight for us mercilessly," he said, his sadistic grin returning.

The Mouth of Sauron came up to the girl, but a long hand on her shoulder and began to speak into her ear with a low voice.

"The world of men does not want you…they never did. You never belonged in their eyes," he hissed. "Your companions abandoned you, left you in this place to die. They can never trust you again, and I doubt they even trusted you before."

Her eyes narrowed at his words, which made him smile more.

"The people of this world hate you. No one cares what happens to you…you are all alone," he continued. "They think nothing of you, they don't even fear you."

"They should be afraid," she said with venom, her fists clenching.

"You're right, my child. Now is the time to show your power and your worth. Punish the foolish mortals; make them realize their mistake." He stepped around her back and walked around to face her. "But you must make an impact…are you willing to do what is necessary?"

"Can you help me?" she asked, reminding him of a begging dog.

"Of course we can, my lady. You need only to join us and our power is in your service," he nodded.

"Then I will do whatever it takes…they will pay!" she said coldly. She went on one knee and bowed her head. "Guide me, master."

He put is left hand under her chin and lifted her head slightly. To his delight, he saw that her blue eyes had turned into a pitch, onyx black, blending in with her pupil.

He said nothing more to her, and looked to the Nine. "Ger her out of these elvish rags. Be ready to leave almost immediately," he ordered. "We don't want to delay her," he finished with an evil laugh.

The wraiths bowed, and followed him out.

"Stay here," the Witch Kind commanded, and then shut the door.

When they were gone Abigail stood up, but didn't even bother to move from the spot she was in.

"You will wish I was never brought here," she whispered.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli rode slowly through the Dimholt. A bit too slowly, for Aragorn's liking. He wanted to make haste, but the horses refused to walk any faster; they were as uneasy as ever.

The three companions had ridden through the early night and now it was mid-morning.

Hardly any word was spoken as they continued on the narrow path, with sharp gray rocks shadowing them all the way.

"What kind of army would dwell in such a place?" Gimli asked cautiously, his voice half wondering and half complaining.

"One that is cursed," Legolas replied softly, sitting rigidly in the saddle. "Long ago, the Men of the Mountain swore an oath to the last King of Gondor, to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountain." Legolas paused, shifting his eyes for a moment. "And so Isildur cursed them," he breathed sharply, "Never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge. The only one with the power to free them is the heir of the man to whom the oath they swore. The heir of Isildur."

Gimli's eyes widened with understanding. He peered over Legolas's soldier to look at Aragorn.

Aragorn could practically feel the eyes on his back, and he willed himself not to turn around.

'From the north shall he come. Need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead,' he thought, recalling the rest of the prediction. 'This day was chosen for me…long, long ago'

"That is a fairly chilling bedtime story, master Elf," Gimli broke the second silence.

"What's more chilling is that we are about to see if it's true," Aragorn said quietly, knowing well enough that his voice would carry through this barren road.

"I still haven't quite fathomed that the twins came all this way to see you, and that they have chosen to stay and fight among Rohirrim. It's quite a trip, even for them," Legolas commented suddenly, urging his horse to ride along-side Aragorn.

"People go great lengths for love," the ranger spoke solemnly.

Legolas casually glanced over at Aragorn, but suddenly found himself doing a double take.

"Aragorn...the evenstar, did you...how?" he sputtered, surprise clearly expressed on his face.

"Your senses are becoming dulled, my friend. I thought you would have noticed before now," Aragorn smiled sadly.

"But after all this time…I do not understand!" he exclaimed.

"Be at ease, Legolas. I know elvish love is a fragile thing, but nothing ill has happened. It was simply our time to end," Aragorn explained calmly, surprising even himself. It seemed that maybe he had finally accepted the decision.

"Aragorn, this wouldn't have anything to do with Abigail, would it?" Gimli asked, raising a bushy eyebrow.

Aragorn stiffened at the mention of her name. As much as he hated to admit it, during every silence all he had been able to think was Abigail.

"But I don't want to think about it," he whispered.

"What was that?" Legolas questioned.

Aragorn looked up. "Nothing," he said curtly. "The decision was between Arwen and me, let us leave it at that." He urged his horse to take the lead again.

Legolas sighed silently. Before they had left, Aragorn had briefly explained Abigail's…predicament. But afterwards he had avoided speaking about it. At first, Legolas thought Aragorn had just been concerned, almost to the point of denial. But now he wondered if it was something deeper.

_ Flashback _

"_What do you mean Abigail's in Mordor?" Legolas hissed, trying not to draw attention. They were trying to leave with some sort of secrecy._

"_She did not exactly give me the details either," Aragorn hissed back, roughly tightening the strap on his saddle._

"_Do you realize what that means? She could be trapped with orcs, Nazgûl…she could be facing Sauron himself!" he said, franticly thinking over all the possibilities._

"_Legolas, I am only telling you just so you know. It's not like we can stroll into Mordor and save her. Right now I have a duty to these people, they need our help," Aragorn emphasized, pointing at the soldier's camp. "We know at least she's alive, or else she wouldn't have been able to contact me. Abigail will have to manage, somehow."_

"_She'll have to manage? Listen to yourself Aragorn. She's a member of the fellowship and our friend. Do we not owe her at least an effort to do something!" he reasoned._

_Aragorn, who had been leading his horse away, froze on the spot. Looking back only partially, he said sadly,_

"_I don't know what I can do for her…it may already be too late."_

_ End Flashback _

Legolas had sincerely hoped that that wasn't true. But even as strong and stubborn as Abigail was, how long could one girl last in Mordor?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

(A/N – For time's sake, we're going to do a bit of skipping and go to the middle of the battle at Pellenor Fields)

Gothmog, leader of the Orc Army, watched impatiently as his soldiers tried to break in the massive doors to the city of Gondor. He hated waiting; it was always a waste of time. Most of the orc were useless with swords, they were strong and easily outnumbered the men.

He spat on the ground at the mere thought of them. The things he hated more than waiting were mortals.

Suddenly, to Gothmog's surprise, a black Fellbeast gracefully flew down and landed between the ranks and the city walls. As soon as the creature's wings stopped beating, he instantly recognized the markings of the Witch King.

"My lord," he said, nodding his pale disfigured head. "What brings you down here?"

"I bring a more competent leader than you," the Nazgûl hissed.

Gothmog turned his head, and on cue a warg came charging through and stopped next to the fellbeast, bearing a rider clad in black. With the hood shadowing the figures face, the rider looked almost like wraith.

But the hood was removed to display,

"A woman!" he snarled, forgetting to mind his tongue. "What insult is this, saying a wench like her could lead."

Before another word, he was lifted in the air, his head hanging a few feet above the crowed. He clawed at his throat, as if he was being strangled.

"Care to rethink that statement?" the woman said coldly, sliding off the wargs back.

Gothmog tried to choke out some form of apology, but the invisible grip just became tighter and tighter.

"Save your strength, Lady Abigail," the Witch King hissed. "The scum is not worth it, and your powers must be used for better plans."

Abigail released the tension in her hand, but her black eyes remained hard.

"Of course, my lord," she said, as Gothmog crashed to the ground, gasping for air. "But that should be an example for you all!" she yelled at the orcs, who averted their eyes.

The warg next to her growled.

"Shh, my pet," she cooed, stroking it's neck. "Don't spoil your appetite on filth," she glowered.

She turned back to the Witch King and bowed. "Where am I needed, my lord?"

He pointed simply to the scene with the battering ram. "I trust you know what to do from here. Just as instructed." And with that, the fellbeast kicked of the ground and began circling the air again.

"A flaming wolf's head," Abigail scoffed, studying the ram. She glanced back to Gothmog. "How barbaric."

Gothmog now understood he was overruled. "We are in your service, Lady Abigail."

She whipped her head around. "That's Lady of Darkness to you."

A pulse of her power went out, causing about 60 orcs to stumble.

Gothmog pinched his scarred lips together. They were now dealing with a different kind of power. One with a woman's' wrath.

OoOoOoOoOo

Change POV to Abigail's

Abigail could not remember why she hated mortals. Wasn't she one of them?

'No!' a voice in the back of hear head chided. 'You have power, you are better!'

She shook her head. She did not understand a lot of things, it seemed, but it was better to be angry than to be confused. Sometimes faces and memory's she could not recall would come up, and they would only fuel her hatred.

She almost didn't even know where the anger came from, but with it she could feel her power growing, which she assumed was a good thing.

"Move out of the way," she commanded the orcs, stepping onto the battering ram. "We have already delayed enough time with your foolish antics."

She channeled her power inward, and raised herself into the air. She floated up half the height of the blocked doors. The flames from the wolf's head licked hot air on her neck.

"Knock, knock," she smirked, thrusting her arms out. There was a small creaking sound, and then the doors burst open. Abigail even caught a glimpse of a few Gondorian soldiers flying through the air.

Abigail gently landed on the ground, brushing some dust of her black tunic.

She turned to face the stunned army of Mordor. "Well what are you standing there for? Charge!" she ordered.

Finding no reason to argue with that command, the orcs and trolls charged in without hesitation.

Abigail flew in the air again, not trusting the lumbering idiots to actual avoid her.

"Make your way up every level, destroy anything or kill anyone that dares to interfere. I want the white tree to burn black!" she yelled above the crowd.

She hovered for a while longer, watching the orcs stream into the city. The screaming was ongoing and buildings began to crumble more and more.

"This is humanity's last defense?" she muttered.

Much time did not seem to pass before she heard a call of,

"Retreat! The city is breached!"

Abigail scanned the mess below and tried to find the source of the order. "Fall back to the second level! Get the women and children out. Get them out! Retreat!" the same voice continued.

She went down closer and discovered her answer. An older looking man, dressed mostly, if not all, in white.

Now tired of observing, Abigail moved down to the ground.

"Keep moving into the city, let nothing hold you back!" she commanded.

She landed sharply in front of the man on the horse.

"Leaving so soon? We've only just begun," she grinned.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Gandalf's POV

Gandalf felt compelled to pull Shadowfax to a halt when the figure suddenly landed out of nowhere.

"Leaving so soon? We've only just begun," a woman's voice said coolly, and she gave a malicious smile.

Gandalf was shocked when his light eyes met pitch black one's. However, there was no mistaking the hair, face, voice…even her stature was similar.

"Abigail," he gasped, surprised to hear his own voice. It was a tone of sadness, and even a bit of fear. "What have they done to you?"

Her onyx eyes narrowed. "How do you know my name, old man?"

"Can you truly not remember?" he asked, willing himself to stay calm.

He became distracted only for a moment, to plunge his sword into a nearby orc.

Her face was oddly blank, but soon she spoke. "That's right. You are Mithrandir, the man who would be savior," she said snidely.

Gandalf cringed inwardly. "While that is the truth, to you I was known as Gandalf. Try to remember Abigail," he pleaded.

Her face only contorted more. "You have no right to use my name, it's sickening. And I am sick of you!" she shouted, drawing her daggers and leaping out him.

Knowing there was no way he would block her with a sword, Gandalf stuck his staff out and punched her in the stomach. As the two connected a short white light emitted and she was shocked back.

She tumbled to the ground, but rolled over into a crouch. "Heh, almost forgot you were a wizard," she mumbled.

"Gandalf! Denethor has lost his mind! He's burning Faramir alive!" The white wizard could hear Pippin shouting from within the crowed. He gave Abigail a piteous look, realizing he would have to help her later. He didn't want to risk Pippin seeing her, not in this state.

He kicked Shadowfax, and rode into the mob. In seconds he found Pippin's bushy head and wordlessly pulled him onto the horse.

With no time for explanations, Gandalf glanced back and could only be relieved that Abigail was not following them.

'The longer she stays in that state of mind, the more dangerous she will become,' he thought worriedly. This battle had taken a large turn for the worse.

"Hurry, Gandalf, there isn't much time!" Pippin urged.

"No, Peregrin, there is not," he murmured.

Abigail's POV

She had decided to let the old fool go. Besides, it looked like to her he was just running away.

She stood up slowly and cracked her neck, watching the escalating battle before her. Above her she could hear the unearthly cry of the Nazgûl.

"Men are so pitiful. The say they honor courage, and then they plead without shame," she said vehemently.

She raised her daggers and charged at a horde of soldiers, already killing two with one swing of each hand.

OoOoOoOoOo

Aragorn stood unwavering on the deck of the Corsair Ship. Well, unwavering except for the twitch in his nose. The Army of the Dead had successfully rid the ship of the men, but they had gotten rid of their stench.

His appearance was calm, but Aragorn's mind was scattered. Everything had changed for him now.

The supposed love of his life was no longer in his life, to begin with. And the mere fact that this ghostly army followed him was proof that he was, without a doubt, the true heir to the throne of Gondor.

'Am I sailing towards my future kingdom now?' he mused.

And then there was the large part of his mind that was still replaying his last 'conversation' with Abigail.

Sometimes he wondered if it was all a trick; that she wasn't in any trouble at all. But afterwards, something in his heart told him that her message had been true.

"_**Next time **we meet will be on the battlefield…. No matter what I say or look like **next time** we meet, I'm still there."_

"But when will next time be?" he sighed dejectedly. It felt like that woman was determined to make life difficult for him…but he still worried.

"Aragorn," Legolas called from the bow of the ship. "I see smoke in the distance. I think it might be Minas Tirith!"

Aragorn looked behind him, not shocked to see the deadly ghost leader already floating there.

"Let's get ready, like we planned," Aragorn said.

The ghost nodded, and disappeared through the deck.

Aragorn turned back around, standing tall and anxiously wondering what awaited him on shore.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

It's very late, so I'm just going to go ahead and post them.

I'll update tomorrow with ending comments and reviewer thank you's, so for now I'll say.

THANK YOU TONS TO ALL REVIEWERS IN THE WORLD!

Izzy: Yeah, that should cover most of them.

**UPDATED SECTION:**

Phew, it is about damn time I posted this chapter, eh? If you want some form of an explanation…what happened was I split this chapter into two parts, so I could add better content to both. Meaning the next chapter is partially formed, but I really only have a couple pages of it.

Also, since I did not complete my first finishing date, my new end date will be to finish before this story's one-year mark in November. I hope I make it this time.

Anyway, thanks to marvelous reviewers:

TheWall: Thanks for the praise!

Narnian Sprite: Practically all authors have a dark side, and they just love to show it through cliffy's and plot twists. Am I right or am I right? Lol, thanks for the review!

childofthekng: Glad my dreamscapes worked for you, I was wondering how people would react. I do think the movie does a brilliant job of retelling the story, but I always want to make sure I add my own persona to this version. Thank you!

writin4fun15: Wow, I whole truck full. This is a new level of kudo-ness. Glad you enjoyed the chapter, and as always thanks for the reviews (and kudos, of course!)

Samantha-Girl Scout: Ohh, bad idea to let Izzy have control of the mob. She'll break a nail and take it out on me, letting the mob kill me in the process. Then where will we be?

Izzy: At your funeral! Ha! (laughs at her own joke)

MN9: (twitch) You're digging your own grave Izzy. Anyway, thank you for the review!

Estel Ashlee Snape: Don't blame you for almost forgetting, it was quite a long break. But I plan on getting back into the swing of things now. Thanks!

Valinor's Twilight: Yeah for happy thoughts! Thanks for reviewing!

Nelarun: Australia, hmm? Been there once, had a blast. Anyway, I applaud you for making it through all 51 chapters, and it makes me very fuzzy inside to hear that emotions were well portrayed. Thank you very much, and I hope you review again!

Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: Maybe you should be worried that you might actually be able to follow my twisted mind…(just kidding). I promise, the twins still have a part to play. Thank you!

ArwenEvenstar83: Yeah, good Abby is a great fighter already; dark Abby is going to be downright scary (you'll have to let me know what you think). Thank you for reviewing!

CrystalMind: I sympathize with your school preparation. I start very soon myself. I'm glad you enjoyed seeing the twins, and you will see them again! Let me know what you think, and thanks a lot!

QueenieMeanie: First off, I'm really excited to hear you think my writing had improved (I guess a 20-page English paper will do that for you). I am also extremely please that you decided to give my story a chance. I know there are tons of 'girl falls into Middle Earth' fics, but I would like to think mine is unique in at least a couple ways. Thanks very much, and please post again, I would love to read your ongoing opinion!

Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	53. The Rage of War

Gah, school is seriously not fun. I already have a paper due in a couple days. Plus, I completely screwed up my knee, so I can't even run or anything. Everyone keeps calling me "Gimpy" and "Hop-a-long"

Izzy: You forgot "Cripple" (snickers)

MN9: (rubs forehead) I seriously don't know why I let you in here.

Izzy: Um…'cause deep down you love me?

MN9: It must be very, very deep down…moving on…

Disclaimer: Cross my heart and hope to die, I do NOT own Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 52 Recap:

"Men are so pitiful. The say they honor courage, and then they plead without shame," Abigail said vehemently.

She raised her daggers and charged at a horde of soldiers, already killing two with one swing of each hand.

Recap #2:

"Let's get ready, like we planned," Aragorn said.

The ghost nodded, and disappeared through the deck.

Aragorn turned back around, standing tall and anxiously wondering what awaited him on shore.

Chapter 53:

The arrival of Rohan had been quite an annoyance in Abigail's opinion, but it was not a move she didn't expect.

Men were often rash, but that bold move had gotten them nowhere. The Mûmak arrived on schedule and was currently tearing the Rohirrim apart. Men on horses were no match for warriors on Oliphants. She could sense it, the death. She felt the souls and minds disappear one by one. Some were mortal, some were orc, some were manners of beast, but all were dead.

"Just how it is suppose to be," she murmured to herself, as she slid through the cobbled streets of Minas Tirith.

No, the Rohirrim were not her concern. She had continued through the levels of the city. It was quite amusing, actually, to see the reactions of some of the soldiers who lived long enough to see her face.

Their confused eyes always had a moment to question what a woman was doing in such a place, before her daggers ran them through.

They still doubted. Still not believing the power she had. Many had been punished for that doubting, and more would be.

The level she was on was eerily quiet, considering it was a battlefield. Up ahead she could hear the clash of weapons on weapons. The orcs had pushed ahead, just as she commanded. She relished how they obeyed her every word.

The street she was in was abandoned. Whether it was abandoned because all the people died, or because they ran away, she could not tell.

'The buildings…they've stopped crumbling,' she thought, looking around.

"It's not suppose to stop…it's got to keep going," she whispered. "They're not allowed to stop unless I say so!" she hissed.

In a craze she sent a wave of telepathy out and made a few pillars collapse, causing a small house to fall apart.

Suddenly, she heard a cough of pain, and she immediately whipped her dagger out to the side, her black eyes glaring.

Her eyes landed on a man, who, thanks to her, now had his arm pinned by a piece of rock.

She wondered why he hadn't moved before. She studied him and noticed he already had a gaping wound in his shoulder, he was only half conscious.

She was about to turn away when she heard his raspy voice.

"My lady," he wheezed. "Why are you here? You should not have to deal with this kind of death."

He coughed again, this time spitting up some droplets of blood.

Before she could stop herself, she went up to him and crouched down by his side. He was an older man, flecks of gray sprouting in his brown beard.

"I should not deal with death, sir? How would you have me avoid it?" she asked, quietly.

His gaze met her dark eyes, and he shuddered slightly. She grinned in return.

"War is death, and-"

She paused momentarily, when an image of a man…with long golden hair and kind eyes…flashed in her mind.

She shook it off, and continued. "War is death…and I am part of war."

And with that, Abigail raised her dagger, and plunged into the man's heart before he could say another word.

Then, she saw in her head that man with blonde hair again, except this time his eyes were lifeless, and his face was bloodied.

When she looked down, she saw this soldiers eyes looked so similar to that vision…and it made her shiver.

Quickly, she put her hand over his eyes and shut them.

"Keep to your own advice. Keep going. There's no need to stop for pathetic fools like him," she chided herself as she stood up and walked away.

Still, for a moment, she could help but feel sad…

But it was soon replaced with a new feeling. She sensed a different presence come onto the battlefield.

She narrowed her eyes, and flew up to see what was going on. She looked out over Pelenor fields, and saw black ships arriving at the port.

"The Corsair ships…it's about time they arrived," she muttered grumpily. But still, something didn't feel right. She looked back over Minas Tirith. The Gondorian solders and orcs were scattered throughout the city, and a couple Nazgûl riders were towards the top of the citadel.

"That should do," she decided, as she left Minas Tirith to investigate.

OoOoOoOoOo

The battle on the fields was in similar shape to the city. The Rohirrim were barely holding their own against the remaining orcs and Mumâk warriors. The lines of standing men got thinner and thinner as the piles of bodies and horses grew.

Abigail was curious, and she decided she wanted to have a little fun herself. Instead of going straight to Osigiliath, she had a little side-trip to the Pelenor battlefield.

She landed gently on the outskirts, and scanned the smoky horizon.

'Now, where to begin,' she wondered sadistically.

The Oliphants were clearing many areas, but there was one spot where it was still hand on hand combat.

She smiled, and using her powers to gain a little speed, she joined the battle.

She was moving swiftly, barely noticed by anyone until her steel daggers met their limbs.

Suddenly, unseen to her, a pair of daggers that looked similar to her own cleanly blocked her.

The figure pushed her back, but she made a fighting stance and got a good look at her opponent.

"Well, well, well," she chuckled. "A little far from home, aren't we?"

OoOoOoOoOo

Elladan, son of Elrond, had never been in a battle like this before. A new type of enemy seemed to appear every hour. He had gone with the Rohirrim to help Gondor, but now as the battle grew longer and longer, he wondered who was going to come and help them.

'Where are you Aragorn?' he thought, concerned for his adoptive brother.

Speaking of brothers, Elladan hadn't seen Elrohir in a while either.

He was pulled out of his thoughts, as an orc took a clumsy charge at him. He jumped to the side and stuck a dagger in the orcs back.

While most elves used a bow and arrow in battle, Elladan had grown more found of using the traditional elvish daggers.

A strange movement to his left caught his attention. A dark figure was moving quickly through the storm of fighting, but it wasn't an orc.

With his keen elven eyes, he followed the strangers' movements and stepped in for a block.

Elladan successfully blocked the figure, but it wasn't phased for long as it moved into a fighting stance.

His eyes widened slightly when he noticed the figure was a lady, though she was clad in black garbs of Mordor.

"Well, well, well," she chuckled. "A little far from home, aren't we?"

"I doubt you are anywhere near home either," he countered. Woman or not, she had a hostile appearance, and he wasn't going to let his guard down.

"Hmph, you are already better than most. Blocking me and not letting my looks fool you. I would expect no less from an elf," she said, a strong hint of disgust in her tone.

Elladan studied her closely, looking for weaknesses. She wore no armor, yet she didn't seem to have a scratch on her.

"I have never hurt a woman in my life, and I do not wish to do so even in battle. I will ask this once, put your weapons down," he said in a commanding tone.

She chuckled again. "Think for your own safety first…that is the advice I give to you."

Without any hesitation, she charged at him, one dagger raised high and the other low.

Elladan stepped forward, and covered her daggers with his, and her pushed them together so the met in the middle, and then he threw her off to the side.

She gave a low growl of frustration when she came at him again, this time her daggers held tightly together, as she thrusted both at he chest.

Elladan sliced his dagger through the two daggers, and again pushed her to the side.

'I have seen these moves before,' he thought to himself.

He took an even closer look at her daggers...then, he understood.

"I see," he muttered lowly.

"What?" she snapped.

He looked at her sharply, forcing himself not to be surprised at her onyx eyes.

"You not only stole Lorien daggers, you stole the steps of the Lorien warriors too," he accused her. "By using them, you are bringing disgrace to the elvish ways. They are not meant to be used by the likes of you."

This time, he was the one to charge. Something about this woman was pushing him; driving him towards anger.

She scoffed, as their weapons met head on. "It matters not to me. Soon all the elves from this earth will be gone, you should be thankful that I'll be here to keep some small remnant of your people alive."

"That can only happen if you make it off this battlefield," he said harshly, enraged.

She simply laughed. "If only you know how much I was holding back."

"I did not ask you too!" he shouted.

"I held back so I can enjoy a fight for once. The others died so quickly; I could have easily done the same to you," she smirked.

He pushed harder against her daggers, but he wasn't making her budge.

He leapt back, and prepared for a different charge.

'Forgive me, Valar, for wishing to harm a woman,' he prayed. But before he could move, he was interrupted.

"Lord Elladan, stop! You know not what you are doing!" Gandalf's voice rang out as he rode towards them.

OoOoOoOoOo

General POV

Elladan could not stop, mid-charge. So his daggers struck against Abigail's block, but he quickly backed up, and looked to Gandalf. It had been quite a while since he had seen his old friend, the wizard, but he still knew that Gandalf's word should be heeded.

"What do you mean?" he questioned, keeping a close eye on Abigail.

"Mitrandir, I was wondering where you ran off to," Abigail smirked.

Elladan raised his daggers slightly. "You have no right to speak to him like that," he glared at her.

"My lord, please. Surely someone told you of Abigail," Gandalf, said, putting emphasis on her name. Shadowfax shifted his hooves with anticipation.

Now Elladan could not hide his surprise. "T-this is Abigail?" he stammered.

'I can't believe I tried to kill a member of the fellowship!' Elladan thought, remembering the unique story told to him by the horse lords. Though he was slightly relieved, because if this was Abigail, then it explained many things.

Gandalf also seemed relieved that Elladan understood the situation, for he saw the elf prince lower his daggers again, and back away slightly.

"I told you not to say my name," Abigail scowled. "I don't know how or why you knew 'Abigail'," she practically spat at her own name, "But she is not here anymore. Both of you will die today, and I don't care who goes first!"

She stormed at the both of them, but once again she became distracted.

Something suddenly passed by them. It felt like a chill of cold air, but it had an odd green tinge to it.

"What trickery is this?" Abigail screamed, as she flew into the air, avoiding anymore contact with the strange sensation.

Gandalf and Elladan looked back, and both could see the black ships in the distance. But unlike Abigail, they knew what the ships had really brought.

OoOoOoOo

Abigail's head whipped around wildly as she studied the scene below here.

'Ghosts!' a voice inside her head screamed. 'Who in seven hells could conjure an army of the dead!'

She floated 50 feet or so above the ground, seething as she watched the orcs fall down in masses, while the ghosts avoided all the mortal soldiers.

"No!" she screamed out loud. This was supposed to be her day of reckoning! The men were supposed to be losing, they were supposed to die!

She desperately tried to stop them with her power, but the ghosts had no physical or even mental part to control.

A Nazgûl on a fellbeast flew up to her side.

"We have been ordered to fall back by Lord Sauron. He says to let the men have their pathetic victory. They may live one more day before their ultimate defeat. It will all be false hope," he hissed, over the steady beating of the creature's wings.

"I will not accept defeat!" she shouted in a rage. "Lord Sauron told me to make them pay. How will I make them fear me by running away?" she snarled.

"These are the orders from our lord! Are you truly going to defy him? It is only because of him that you are here. Is this how you show your gratitude, wench?"

The fellbeast, sensing its riders' displeasure, took a snap at Abigail with its razor teeth.

She quickly raised one hand and stopped its jaw with telepathy, and then with the other hand she made a crushing movement.

There was a loud snapping of several bones, as the fellbeasts leg suddenly went limp. It flapped awkwardly, trying to remain steady now that one of its long legs was completely broken.

"You are as pathetic as the rest," she said, her voice now darker and deeper. "I will finish what I need to do, and a worthless minion like you will NOT get in my way."

She sent a wave at telepathy at the wraith, and he actually stumbled a bit in his seat.

'The girl had never been able to use her power on one of us before,' the wraith thought, shocked.

He straightened up, and waved a clothed hand at her. "Stay then. Either die here from the enemy, or die later by my masters hand. There was never a place for you." At leaving her with that thought, the wraith whipped the reigns, and flew away.

"Then I will make a place. In fact, I'll make my own throne," she threatened, looking down to the field. Many ghosts had moved into the city, and some men remained fighting the orcs that were still alive.

She sheathed her daggers, knowing she would no longer be using them.

OoOoOoOoOo

Gandalf had watched Abigail cautiously in the sky as she 'talked' to the wraith, and now he was ever more wary when he saw he come back down.

'Why would she not leave with them?' he wondered, though maybe he could use this to his advantage. If she stayed, maybe he could try and bring her back.

She landed in front of them again, but she never drew her daggers.

"This is not over…not while I am still standing," she glowered.

Elladan, with his enhanced vision, saw her black eyes were now flecked with a flaming red.

"Gandalf," he warned gently, keeping a steady hand on his weapon.

"Gandalf, I think we're doing it! I think we're winning!" the hopeful voice of Pippin cried.

Gandalf spun around. "Pippin, stay back!" he barked.

"What?" the young hobbit asked. However, his expression soon became a look of horror as he reeled back at the sight. "A-Abigail?" he asked quietly.

"Pippin, I need you to go look for Merry," he instructed slowly.

"Merry? B-but…Abby," Pippin tried to speak, ducking behind Shadowfax.

Gandalf only cast him one stern, but forlorn look. Pippin stumbled backwards as he left, still trying to see if that really could be Abigail.

'The world's gone mad,' Pippin thought, as he walked around with slightly glazed eyes. 'This day…it can't be real. Oh Merry, where are you?'

OoOoOoOoOo

"Come, come Mithrandir. I'm sure the Halfling would have put up a tremendous fight," she jeered.

Suddenly, she flew her hand to her face, and Elladan and Gandalf saw that she had stopped an arrow mere inches from her cheek.

Elladan looked over. "Elrohir," he croaked, having trouble finding his own voice now.

Gandalf looked over as well and he saw three familiar figures trailing behind Elrond's second son.

'Who knows what the outcome of this meeting will be,' the white wizard thought, his mind jumbling through all the options they might be able to use. Though the choices weren't many.

OoOoOoOo

Ugh, I'm not really completely satisfied with this chapter; I'll be honest with you. But I'll let you be the judge.

It's also a shorter chapter that usually, but this really is a complicated scene, though it may not seem like it. This is what I have so far, so I'm going to post it, and hopefully I can work through it better in the next chapter.

Thanks to Reviewers:

Nelarun: I'm glad your understanding of my lateness. I know it gets very long sometimes, but I promise I'll keep posting 'till the very end. It's kind of fun to write 'bold Abby', but evil isn't my strong point. Let me know what you think! Thanks!

Narnian Sprite: Lol, cliffhangers make the world go 'round. Thanks for reviewing!

writin4fun15: Hey, just the fact that you are still willing to review is enough for me. As long as the kudos are there, I will be eternally grateful. Thanks!

QueenieMeanie: Next chapter, I promise you will finally see Aragorn and Abby interact. But today, it fit the plot better to stop here. Just stick with the suspense for a bit longer. Thanks you!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Lol, it's a pretty safe bet Abigail could be classified under the evil category now. Good lord, is your mob and I actually on the same page for once (gasp!)? Thank you!

Valinor's Twilight: Thank you very much, that's all I want to hear!

ArwenEvenstar83: I actually made you gasp? That's exciting! Oh, and your kind of on the right track about Abigail, I guess (I'm not going to spoil it for you), but give me a little more creativity credit than that. As you can see, I'm not taking the easy way out. Thank you for reviewing!

Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: Oh yeah, the twins are back, baby! I think it's fun to have them in these stories, because we really don't see them in the movies or the books. So many possibilities…thank you!

CrystalMind: Next chapter is the dramatic meeting, so be on the look out! I decided not to rush into it right away. I think it's better for the plot. Thanks!

Frodo's girl: (looks around sheepishly) Yeah, I haven't been that great with the updates lately, but now that I have a due date in mind I hope to fix that. I really do want to meet this goal, and after almost 60 chapters I'm sure you're all anxious to read the end, right? Thanks a lot!

SpicyStars: I had some trouble finding an Aragorn romance that I really liked, so that's part of what motivated me to write this. I still support Arwen and Aragorn, but this is my own little creative twist. Thanks, and please review again!

Next Chapter: Reunited at last, but for better or for worse? Maybe even a little 'Black Gate' action. I'm trying really and super hard to update a billion times faster than I just did. Don't give up on me now!

Until next time!

-MysticNight9


	54. Reunion

**12/01/2009**

So, basically, I randomly checked up on my old fanfiction account the other day, and I started to read some of my favorite LOTR stories, and I suddenly found a bit of inspiration. It's been over three years at this point since I last posted a chapter, and it's difficult to explain why I stopped writing. I suppose you could say I lost some of my muse, or even my interest, as other things happened in my life. However, when I first started writing this story, it was one of the most fun projects I've ever done.

I'm now a freshman in college, and it's safe to say that my writing style has changed a lot, and my own opinion of this story has changed quite a bit too. Still, I have found a new desire to actually finish what I started. For a while I'm going to be heavily editing the story, mostly just typos and such, though I will probably fix some plot areas as well. Eventually, though, I will try to post the final chapters. I can't say how long, but I really want to try.

To all reviewers of this story, thank you so much for your words of encouragement and helpful criticism thus far. I don't know if any of my original reviewers will be around once I start this up again (though once I again I thank those who were around in the beginning), but looking over some of my more recent ones I'm am extremely grateful people are still finding this story of interest.

That's about it for now, I guess. I need to review everything first, but then I will do my best to pick up where I left of, and hopefully give this story a decent ending.

Thank you!

- MysticNight9

Disclaimer: I haven't owned Lord of the Rings in past or present, and I sincerely doubt I will own it in the future.

Quick Reminder:

_Italics means either elvish, flashback or dream (you'll tell from the content)_

**Bold in this chapter means internal debate**

Chapter 53 Recap:

Suddenly, she flew her hand to her face, and Elladan and Gandalf saw that she had stopped an arrow mere inches from her cheek.

Elladan looked over. "Elrohir," he croaked, having trouble finding his own voice now.

Gandalf looked over as well and he saw three familiar figures trailing behind Elrond's second son.

'Who knows what the outcome of this meeting will be,' the white wizard thought, his mind jumbling through all the options they might be able to use. Though the choices weren't many.

Chapter 54:

It appeared that the hour had finally come.

Reunited at last, only to wish it wasn't so.

"Who…what is this?" Elrohir whispered to Aragorn. A new arrow already knocked in his bow, after the first one had been so miraculously stopped.

"Put it down, lad, it won't do you much good here," Gimli warned sadly.

The four newcomers finally slowed to a stop. Elrohir rushed to his brother's side, casting a look that demanded answers.

However, the three companions of Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn, remained rooted to the spot.

"This is why you wouldn't talk about her, isn't it?" Legolas said sadly to Aragorn, not turning his gaze away. "Somehow you knew something, and you feared it."

Aragorn forced his eyes away from Abigail to look at Gandalf. "How did it come to this?"

Gandalf shook his head. "I do not have those answers. But I will warn you, she does not remember much, if anything, and she is very strong," the wizard replied gravely, his eyes never straying from the woman in front of them.

Abigail silently assessed the situation as they talked continued to talk quietly. Why could she not shake this feeling of familiarity? She searched for the clues, observing their face with subtle scrutiny, but all she could really see was the enemy.

However, a few moments later, she vaguely noticed they were closing in on her.

'Trying to trap me like a pack of wild dogs? I don't squirm that easily,' she thought, smiling inwardly, her fingers tightening on the hilt of her blood-soaked blades.

"If…if she is one of them now," Legolas stated hesitantly, a part of him still trying to deny such a truth, "Why did she not leave with the Nazgûl. Does she not see the battle is over?"

"It is never over in her eyes," Gandalf replied in a saddening tone. "Her own battle has only begun."

"Enough!" Abigail yelled, a harshness to her tone that was as equally as unfamiliar as her appearance. "Silence your mutterings and face me!" she demanded, her body tensing slightly.

The men just stared at her solemnly, but wariness was still etched in their features. Each of their hands twitched briefly around their weapons, but none would make a move.

Suddenly, Elladan lowered his daggers, though the decision seemed to strain him.

"She is a member of the fellowship," he said through a clenched jaw, looking at the others with a sideways glance. "I no longer have the authority to attack her." As somewhat of an outsider, the elf felt like he couldn't get a good enough grasp on this situation. He did not doubt that she was a danger at the moment, but he was in no position to judge her accurately.

His sibling did not seem as easy to quell, though. "She is an enemy. She tried to kill you, brother!" Elrohir protested, his finger itching to let go of the knocked arrow. He knew there was some truth to Elladan's words, but he was not willing to risk family and friends while they debating whose side she was on.

Abigail turned her head and smiled sweetly at Elrohir, though the grin was chilling. "Ah, we have siblings, I see. The more fitting I should send you to your graves together."

"You have threatened many times, and I have yet to see you act upon it," Elrohir seethed, gaze narrowing at his "target".

She scoffed quietly. "I was going to allow you the pity of the first strike," she said calmly, an eerie grin still plastered to her face. "Have at me, then, sir elf. Release your arrow and see how far it flies."

Elrohir's eyes darkened and without another word, he released the arrow, refusing to listen to any more of her taunts.

"Elrohir no!" Aragorn protested while moving towards him, his mind already predicting what the outcome would be.

Abigail laughed and simply stuck on her hand again, stopping the arrow when it was an arms length away from her face. However, instead of letting it fall to the ground, she used her power to flip the arrow around and shot it back at the sender with the same speed.

Elrohir hardly had a second to react when he saw his own arrow flying at him, he moved to dodge, but it was closing in fast on his heart.

He waited for the killing blow, however he heard a swift movement of steel instead..

Aragorn had stepped in and cut the arrow in half and the arrowhead sunk deeply into the ground by Elrohir's foot.

Abigail's eyes narrowed, upset that her game was interrupted.

"You move quickly for a mortal," she said vehemently, no real compliment in her words.

The ranger stood up straight and let his sword hang loosely at his side.

"Abigail," Aragorn said, raising his head slowly. "That…is…enough," he spoke, separating his words with fierce emphasis.

His gaze met her onyx eyes straight on, and for once it was she who had to try not to flinch under his piercing hazel eyes.

The others held their breath, and even the world seemed to freeze for just one moment. Soon, though, a chilling wind rolled through the battlefield, bringing with it the stench of blood and the sounds of weapons clashing far off in Minas Tirith.

"It will never be enough," was her reply, but instead of a harsh tone she surprised them all by sounding almost…regretful.

It was in that moment that Aragorn remembered something from a dream, that now seemed to take place so long ago.

_Flashback_

_I only come to you now with a warning," she explained._

"_What manner of warning?" he eyed her suspiciously._

_There was a moment of silence, as Abigail tried to decide how she should explain this._

"_The next time you see me, I won't be myself," she said slowly. "I-I've tried to stay strong but my time is running out. Next time we meet will be on the battlefield."_

_She stopped walking and looked around fearfully._

"_What is it?" he asked, on alert as well._

"_They're coming for me…in the real world," she said, trembling. "I don't have much time."_

_She grabbed his arm and looked him in the eyes._

"_I know I was wrong to keep those secrets, and some of my actions were misguided, but I need you to trust me now. No matter what I say or look like next time we meet, I'm still there."_

"_What are you talking about? I don't understand." Aragorn was becoming nervous with the increasing panic in Abigail's voice._

"_Just, remember the Abigail from the fellowship. How I was in Rivendell or Lorien. That's who I am."_

_Aragorn didn't know what to say. Abigail hardly made any sense and she was talking so fast._

_Abigail eyes suddenly went wide. "They're here for me."_

"_Whose they-" he started to ask, still very confused, but Abigail cut him off with a hug._

"_I deserved all those thing you said to me at Edoras," she whispered, her voice failing as she still clung on to him tightly. "I understand if you break your promise and hate me."_

_Aragorn was stunned. "Abigail," he said softly, instinctively pulling her even closer._

"_I would rather die than hurt the fellowship or you," she said._

_Those were her final words._

_End Flashback_

"No matter what…I'm still there," he whispered to himself softly, repeating her words. Sudden realization seemed to light up his eyes a little.

While he would never have any proof that it was really Abigail in his dream, he still believed now that it was the truth. However much she fought, somewhere inside of this mad woman was the real Abigail.

Abigail regained her senses, as she shook her head and once again composed herself into a rigid fighting stance.

"Aragorn," Gandalf spoke quickly, "What do you suggest?" he asked under his breath, carefully noticing that the ranger's mind was working hard.

"There must be someway to bring her back, but I do not know how," Aragorn admitted. "I fear we are running out of time, though. She will make her move soon."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

'Why am I hesitating?' Abigail thought cursing herself. These men just continued talking in hushed tones, but she herself was still not moving. 'I could snap their necks in a heartbeat, why am I hesitating???'

'**Because you don't want to kill them,'** a small, light-sounding voice spoke in the corner of her mind.

'No, they must die! Lord Sauron said they all must die' she argued internally. 'They are the enemy!'

'**And how does the enemy know your true name…Abigail?' **reason asked.

'Abigail is dead! I am the Lady of Darkness, I only know Lord Sauron-'

'**Liar! You know those hazel eyes, that is way you are hesitating.'**

'Stop it! That doesn't matter, they don't matter, HE does not matter!'

'……**Then draw your daggers and kill them.'**

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail suddenly yelled, almost painfully, as she drew her daggers and charged towards Legolas.

The blonde elf was shocked, after being mostly silent and still all this time, but with fast reflexes he ducked and ran to the side.

She turned around on her heels and paused for a moment, looking at Aragorn, though she addressed them all.

"I do not know you, and you cannot presume to know me."

She inclined her gaze slightly to look at Gandalf. "You seem to recognize my power, and because of that I will not let you all die quickly at its mercy. Instead I will kill you slowly and painfully with my own two hands," she said, raising her daggers more visibly.

Legolas gasped a little, as she chose to charge at him again. He quickly shot an arrow towards her leg, hoping to merely stop her, but her hand moved at an astonishing speed as she cut the arrow in half, much like Aragorn had done earlier.

Legolas abandoned the bow for his own set of elvish daggers, and with sharp eyes he just barely managed to block her.

"I have no desire to kill you," he said forcefully, staring hard into her face, looking for traces of the woman he called his friend.

She snorted and began a series of attacks, keeping one hand high and one hand low. Legolas mirrored her movements, though. While she might not remember, Legolas had sparred with her before and remembered her moves well.

All of a sudden, he saw her head whip around and she jumped away from him. That same moment he saw a small throwing axe fly between them.

"I don't wish to kill you either," Gimli said gruffly, lowering his hand back on his large axe. "But I also can't let you kill him," he nodded towards Legolas.

"The longer she stays like this, the more powerful she becomes and the more the darkness consumes her," Gandalf said, as he worriedly watched the display.

Abigail turned away from Gimli and Legolas and looked at Gandalf and Aragorn, who were still standing side by side.

"And you will fear and respect that power," she told them, having heard that comment quite well.

She ran towards the two of them, but it was Aragorn who stepped in for the block, keeping her away form Gandalf. He seemed to be the one who best understood what as happening, so the ranger wanted to keep him safe.

He held one of her dagger off to the side with his sword, but in an odd move he had stopped her other dagger by grabbing onto her wrist.

To Abigail's irritation, though, with his tight grip on her arm she was unable to back away, even as she squirmed relentlessly. He held onto her firmly, trying to hold her gaze again.

"Please, Abigail. It is me, Aragorn. Remember your friends and the fellowship. Remember Haldir, remember anything! You told me you did not want to hurt us!" he said harshly, praying to the Valar that this could end.

To his dismay, her response was a cruel smirk. "Where on earth would you get that ridiculous idea?"

She twisted her arm around sharply, forcing him to let go, as she stepped away.

"This is turning out to be a most uneventful battle. Perhaps I should inspire more motivation," she said coolly.

Abigail lifted herself into the air, and in a flash she flew and landed behind Elrohir and Elladan.

She sheathed her daggers and visibly raised her hands behind their heads, and slowly she started to constrict her hand into a first.

At the same time, the remaining four watched in horror as the two twins gasped in pain as they clutched at their chests.

"Tell me…if you watched your friends' die by a crushed heart, would that motivate you to kill me?" she laughed almost manically as her fists became tighter and tighter.

Aragorn was frozen with terror as he saw the twins fall to their knees; their breaths were painful and shallow.

Gandalf suddenly pushed past him and raised his staff at Abigail, a harsh white light flowing out of it.

Abigail unclenched her fists and covered her eyes; she screamed as she shied away from the light.

Elladan and Elrohir still clutched protectively to their chest, but their breathing was returning to normal. The brothers shared a brief look, as if making sure the other was alright before quickly moving off to the side.

"Still want to spare her?" Elrohir asked lowly.

Elladan spared a quickly glance behind him. "She was Elessar's friend…have faith that he will make the right decision."

"What did you do?" Aragorn asked Gandalf, approaching slowly, as Abigail seemed to start to regain her senses again.

"My white magic is painful for her to withstand as it is to the Nazgul," he explained, his own tone shaking slightly, from either anger of fear.

"Where else have I seen a light like that?" Aragorn asked, half to himself.

Gandalf looked puzzled. "Where else could you see it? White magic only comes from white wizards," he paused. "Although…some elvish spells have a similar effect."

Aragorn's eyes widened it sudden realization. "Legolas!" he yelled frantically. "Use your eyesight, is their anything on her left wrist?"

Legolas forced his gaze away from his elven kin and did as Aragorn said. Almost immediately he replied. "I-I believe she is wearing-"

"A bracelet," Aragorn finished for him.

_Flashback_

"_Abigail, I am asking how damaging those results can be?" Gandalf demanded._

_She raised her head slowly. "If…if I truly willed it…I could crush your heart in less than a second._

_There was a fearful silence after that statement. Éowyn, without even realizing it, put a protective hand over her heart._

"_Please understand, to have enough concentration to even sense the inside of one's body is extremely difficult for me. I hardly ever use my power for anything more than lifting or pushing," Abigail pleaded, trying to hide the true monstrosity of what she just said._

_There was still a short pause before she added, "And, H-haldir produced a safeguard, just in case." She choked a little on his name._

_She continued with her train of thought, and held up her wrist revealing the thin, silver bracelet that she wore._

"_That's of elvish making, and it comes with a very high honor if I'm correct," Legolas mused quietly. He chided himself momentarily for not noticing and questioning it before._

_Abigail nodded in agreement. "Haldir gave me this as a gift, just before we left Lorien. It will hum a warning of sorts if I'm about to lose control. There is a more powerful and effective spell enchanted within it, but by the time it's needed I'm in no mind to remember it."_

"_What is the spell, though I hope to never use it," Legolas said._

_Abigail smiled slightly as she chanted the elvish spell._

"_Pool of Eärendil, shine for me bright. Give hope in darkness, give shadow a light."_

_End Flashback_

Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli widened their eyes as well, quickly picking up on Aragorn's plan.

"Would that little piece of jewelry really be enough to make her sane?" Gimli asked incredulously.

"She said it was the Pool of Eärendil, and legend hails it as a mighty source of pure magic," Legolas informed them.

"In addition, it was given to her by her father, which I believe could also be a strong factor," Gandalf agreed.

Abigail moved her hand away from her eyes, and she stared at them intently, the red glow of hatred returning to her iris'.

"You will pay for that," she growled, gripping her daggers so tightly that her knuckles began to pale as she pulled them out again.

"I don't know the proper elvish. Say the spell, and I'll keep the lass occupied for a minute," Gimli offered, gripping his axe as he turned away. "Though, you might want to hurry it up."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail swayed slightly, her vision still slightly blurry. She saw the fuzzy outline of the dwarf coming towards her.

"Hmph, so are you prepared for a real fight now?" she said venomously, spinning a blade once.

"It seems you have left me with no choice," he said evenly. "It has been a long day of battle, one more fight won't matter."

She chuckled humorlessly. "The true spirit of a warrior. It is the same spirit I have been crushing all day," she twirled the dagger in her other hand.

His only movement was his eyes twitching…but then he grinned through his unruly beard.

Abigail stiffened, something wasn't right. She looked beyond the dwarf's shoulder, to see the other three men huddled together and they were…chanting?

She knitted in eyebrows together and listened intently. What were they doing?

"…_Darkness, give shadow a light."_

"Impossible," she whispered, her pulse beginning to race.

Without wasting another second, she used her power to gain speed and charged at the company. She raised her hand in order to strike, but a burning sensation in her left wrist caused her to drop her dagger, and in surprise she stopped herself short and fell to the ground.

She had stopped merely 10 feet away from them, and as she stared at the earth in shock she could hear the elvish recitation clearly.

"_Pool of Eärendil, shine for me bright. Give hope in darkness, give shadow a light."_

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Abigail had stood up quickly, an unfamiliar sensation of panic coursing through her, but as she tried to grab her dagger her wrist burned in pain again. She looked down and saw a thin white light wrap itself around her hand. Shakily, she brought her hand up slowly and stared at it in horror.

Abigail looked up at the three. "I will kill you…I'll kill you now!"

She focused her mind on hurting them, stopping them in any way, but then the pain exploding throughout her skull.

She tried again, focusing as hard as she could on breaking each of their spines in half, but before she could concentrate enough to do anything, the pain ripped through her mind again.

'I…I can't use my power. I can't even pick up my dagger,' she thought fearfully, her heart pounded in her chest. 'Lord Sauron, what trickery is this?'

Her head whipped around wildly, as if somehow she could find an escape, but she looked down again and the white light had started to spread up her arm.

"No…no!!!" she screamed.

"_Pool of Eärendil, shine for me bright. Give hope in darkness, give shadow a light."_

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

They watched her as she screamed in horror and pain. It was hard to watch, because it still looked like it was their friend crying out it pain. They remembered their purpose, though, and continued the spell relentlessly.

As the light grew longer they saw her claw at her own wrist, but she couldn't seem to remove the bracelet. She flung her arm around, even tried to wipe it away, but the light grew larger and larger.

In what could have been minutes, or maybe hours, the white light spread throughout her entire body as she continued to struggle.

Then, one final time, the glow incased her completely, and in a single bright flash the light disappeared.

The figure clad in black fell on her hands and knees, breathing heavily.

The spell drifted into silence, as the company stood still, fearful of what the results has been. Aragorn was the first to take a small, cautious step forwad.

"Abigail?" he asked once.

There was no response, but then her head lifted slowly to reveal dark blue eyes filled with tears.

"What have I done?" she whispered, staring at a smear of thick, red blood upon her hands.

"_Pool of Eärendil, shine for me bright. Give hope in darkness, give shadow a light."_

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Some parts of this chapter I like, some parts I'm not so sure. Please share your opinion; I love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks to Reviewers:

HuntressoftheMoon: I had a bit more fun writing evil-Abby in this chapter, though it's still a bit hard for me. I'm glad you enjoying the story, please review again, and thanks!

Valinor's Twilight: Thanks, it's good to hear reassurance from the readers. Thanks again!

Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: The twins were kind of picked-on this chapter, but the next chapter will show their characters a bit more. Thanks for the review!

writin4fun15: I hope you were able to find a shred of patience for me, I don't know what I would do without your kudos! Thank you very much!

TheWall: Always good to read that I have long-term fans! Thanks very much for following, and I hope you review again!

CrystalMind: Suspense can be good, I agree, but 2 months is probably pushing it, eh? Thank you!

Frodo's girl: I feel your pain with the lack of chapter arrows button, it happens to me all the time. I'm one of the "best writer's on the site"? (blush) Thank you very much, comments like that honestly make my day! I hope you did keep waiting and that I hear more reviews from you!

Narnian Sprite: Thanks for the sympathy, my coach sure didn't have any. We are close to the end, I swear, and though it's hard to tell by my update pattern, I really am anxious to write the ending. Thank you for reviewing!

Anearin: It seems most of your questions should have been answered in this chapter. I hope you still haven't given up on me, and that I will hear from you again. Thanks!

Padme4000: Thank you, so many nice compliments in one review! Please come to the review corner again!

ArwenEvenstar83: I hope there was some creativity for you as far as the 'coming back' scene went. I hope it made sense, too. Evil Abby is scary, but she's been pretty fun to write while it lasted. Thank you very much!

Samantha-Girl Scout: Yeah, well next time Izzy breaks her wrist while snowboarding we'll see how nice I am.

Izzy: Oh c'mon, last time I did that was like 2 years ago.

MN9: Yeah, but you never know where a log might 'accidentally' be thrown in your path.

Izzy: Heh, heh (gulp)

MN9: Thanks for reviewing!

Lift the Wings: Geez, that would have been a really bad ending to just leave it there (the worst cliffhanger ever!). No worries, it's not over till the fat lady sings.

Izzy: Oh, you're going to sing?

MN9: Shut it, you. Thanks very much and come again!

Nelarun: Thanks for the sympathy on the knee. It's amazing what a good (and kind of cute) physical therapist can do for you, though. Lol, thank you!

Sati Naberrie-Snape: Thanks, I'm glad you like it and I promise the chapters will keep coming (it's only the rate that varies). Thanks again!

maidenmaniac1: Updates are coming, slowly and surely. I'm hoping to crank out the ending sooner oppose to later. Thanks, and review again please!

Coming up next time: Angry Gandalf talks with Abby, disappointed Aragorn talks with Abby and everyone talks about going to the Black Gate.

Until we meet again!

And many thanks to all readers

-MysticNight9


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